All Or Nothing
by Ren Hyuga-Hyogo
Summary: Ren Hyogo is a kunoichi of Sunagakure who's life is a lot more complicated than it should be. She has to fight her own inner demons while doing her best to make her dream come true. She befriends Gaara and things get crazier for Ren from there. Rated M for gore and citrus (Slowly progressing. Bear with me)
1. Prologue: A Girl Named Ren

Prologue

The sun beamed down on Sunagakure, reflecting off of the sand that the village was built on. A nurse, Naoma, was sitting outside soaking in the sun. She had blonde hair pulled up into a high bun that was so light it could have been considered white in the sun's rays and jade green eyes that shined with life and happiness despite the worry lines and darkness that had started forming under her eyes. She was sitting out in her backyard, perched upon a lone sandstone bench, waiting on her daughter to join her.

The 6 year old girl came running out the back door and leaped into the arms of her mother. The girl shared her mother's delicate facial features, from her button nose to her thin lips and small chin. Their faces were where the similarities ended though. Ren, her daughter, had medium-length, raven-black hair that shined in the sun. Ren's eyes were pupiless pale thistle-purple, almost white, and most people thought that she was blind.

Naoma caught the girl and stood with her in her arms. She twirled around and they both laughed until they grew so dizzy that Naoma fell with Ren on top of her. For all of Ren's life it had just been her and her mother. "What should we do today," Naoma asked when the giggling they were both doing came to an end. Her voice was calm and smooth sounding. It wasn't too high or too low, it was feminine without being annoying.

Ren sat up and looked at Naoma confused, her little brows furrowed and Naoma couldn't help but grin at her daughter. "Don't you have to go to work," Ren's quiet little voice asked. Naoma could see the hope in her daughter's eyes, knowing very well that Ren hated when she had to leave for work.

Naoma was 27 years old and worked as a nurse in the hospital. Her days were chaotic and sometimes her nights were as well. She had been a ninja but could no longer remember what it had been like to be a medical kunoichi, that time felt like lifetimes ago. No, at age 21 Naoma resigned from her position as a kunoichi because she unexpectedly got pregnant with Ren. She was a single mother so she had to work and her medical skills were quite useful to the hospital. She was still helping the people of the country she loved dearly and got to raise her daughter, it was a win-win situation for Naoma.

"I requested the day off," Naoma said with a genuine smile on her face, "today is your birthday and the last day before you start training at the academy after all." Naoma's smile faded, ever so slightly and she asked, "Are you really sure this is what you want? Do you truly wish to be a kunoichi?" Naoma had no doubts that her quiet little daughter had what it took. She was quite obedient, something Naoma figured she got from her father, and smart, which Naoma liked to think Ren got from her. Ren had already started learning about chakra; how could Naoma not teach her daughter about something the girl was so interested in?

Ren's eyes were ablaze with excitement even though the rest of her face showed little more than a slight smile. This was something else that Naoma thought was inherited from her father's family, a stoic appearance. Ren's face almost always appeared emotionless unless she was she was truly upset or in private. Noama was sure that Ren was born to be a kunoichi, she just hated the idea of her baby being in danger all the time. "I want to be a kunoichi more than anything," Ren told her mother, her small voice filled with determination.

Pride, that's what Naoma felt. She grinned at her daughter and they both got up off the ground. Naoma brushed the sand off of Ren's light brown dress and then did the same to her own. "We have time before lunch, what would you like to do," Naoma asked her daughter.

Ren seemed to be considering their options quite intently because her brow was once again furrowed and she was chewing on her bottom lip. "Let's go for a walk along the wall," Ren hurriedly stated. Naoma knew that Ren was amazed with the jagged rock wall that surrounded Suna despite having spent her whole life within its walls. She smiled and nodded to Ren who then grabbed her hand and said, "C'mon mama."

Naoma allowed Ren to lead her out of their backyard and through their hometown. Ren's eyes were filled with the same wonder as always. She knew how much her daughter loved being around other people, even when nothing going on involved her. Ren's mouth curved up into a small smile as they walked around the perimeter. This was going to be quite the walk considering the city's size. Naoma expected them to get 1/3 of the way around before Ren was ready to head home and eat lunch.

The two walked in comfortable silence, hand in hand, for a long while. Ren broke the silence when they passed another family that consisted of a mother, father, and son. "Mama," Ren's voice was almost a whisper that Naoma missed, "Will you tell me about father?"

This was a subject that Naoma always liked to avoid. She didn't know how much was safe to share with her daughter and most of the memories were painful to recall. Naoma forced a smile, for her daughter's sake. She opened her mouth to speak but the words were lost to her. She tried again, this time finding the words she needed to say.

"Well," she began reluctantly, "Your father was an outstanding shinobi. He didn't live here, in Suna, but I fell madly in love with him as soon as I saw him. He had been here on a 4 month long mission with 3 other shinobi. He was quite handsome but troubled. His clan wasn't what he thought it should have been and it was frustrating to him. He was a very hard man to read but I think he was happy when he was here with me. I wish you could've met him," Naoma's words trailed off. She had not heard from her lover but one time since he had went back to his home village.

She never knew what became of him and never did get the chance to tell him about Ren. Naoma knew she could've hunted for him but her pride wouldn't allow that to happen. She had always hoped he would return to her and things would be wonderful, a dream come true, but Naoma knew that wasn't going to happen; she had known that almost 7 years ago when he walked out of her life. His mission ended and he returned home.

There were so many things that Naoma could have told Ren about her father but Naoma didn't want to ruin her daughter. The memories she shared with the man who fathered her daughter were not child appropriate; they were barely something she dared to write about in her diary. Naoma decided that, when Ren was old enough, she would give her old diaries to her daughter. Ren could take it all in, the good and the bad and even the naughty. It would be embarrassing but she wanted her daughter to know her father in some way, even if it was just through the memories Naoma had of him.

Ren didn't question Naoma any further, which worried Naoma a little. She wondered what was going on in her daughter's head. They fell back into a comfortable silence and continued to people watch as they walked. So many things were running through Naoma's mind and she could appreciate her daughter's understanding that grown-ups kept secrets for a reason.

Naoma was truly worried about Ren starting at the academy though. Her daughter was perfect for the role of a ninja but she didn't really know how well she would do with other children. She hoped that she'd make some friends but because of her maturity and stoic-like nature in public Naoma just wasn't sure it'd happen; she'd just have to wait and see how things went.

Naoma was a patient woman, but this involved her daughter so that patience didn't exist. Naoma hoped and prayed to Kami that Ren took after her more than she seemed to, otherwise things for Ren would be chaotic and full of more dangers than she wished to think about.

Ren's little hand squeezed her mothers and Naoma knew that her mind had been so far gone that she didn't hear what Ren said. Naoma turned her head and stared down at her daughter with a smile, silently urging her to repeat herself. "Mama," Ren said meekly, "I'm ready to go home."

Naoma nodded and they took a left at the first main road they came across. Naoma pushed all worries aside, for now, and focused on her daughter. Ren was talking softly but Naoma focused on every word. "I hope I make a lot of new friends," Ren stated, "I know I'll be there to learn, but it'll be so much fun. I'm going to be one of the best kunoichi there ever was. I hope someday I'll be one of the ones to protect the 4th Kazekage." The excitement in Ren's voice was enough to make strangers that passed by them smile too.

Naoma liked when her daughter showed emotions so much more than when she was stoic. Maybe the kids at school would bring her out of that. "I'm sure that you'll make more friends than you can imagine," Naoma vocalized and was a little surprised at how much she meant it. "You just do your best and everything will work out just fine."

Ren's excitement had put her mind to ease some. No matter what came in later years, everything was fine and would continue to be fine. Naoma knew nothing would stop her daughter from accomplishing her dreams. Ren would be a successful kunoichi and would have many friends. Naoma was so confident in that that she would almost bet her life on it. Who knew, maybe someday she would really be one of the elite, if that was what Ren still wanted when the time came.

The remainder of the walk home was filled with talks about how 'cool' it would be to be a protector of The 4th Kazekage. Naoma laughed quietly at how naïve her daughter was about it, but did not correct her. She would let Ren figure out what such a job entailed later on. She would also let her believe that the 4th, Rasa, would never retire.

Lunch consisted of sandwiches because it was just too hot to have the stove on. Naoma was thankful that she had baked Ren's cake the night before. When Naoma sat the chocolate cake with strawberry icing on the table Ren grinned from ear to ear. The candles flickered as Naoma sang happy birthday, just begging Ren to extinguish them with a wish. "Make a wish now," Naoma instructed Ren as she rubbed her daughter's shoulders.

Ren closed her pale eyes and silently made her wish then blew out the six candles. Naoma clapped and Ren laughed. Neither bothered mentioning the wish, they both knew wishes didn't come true if you told someone what you wished for. Naoma watched Ren savoring the taste of her birthday cake in silence. She wished that Suna was able to grow all the ingredients needed for many things, not just cakes; this was a rare treat for them. Things were pretty hard in Suna.

Naoma placed three brightly wrapped boxes on the table once Ren's plate was in the sink. Ren's smile had not faded since they got home; it was plesant to see. "Open them," Naoma urged her daughter. Ren tore off the paper that cloaked the smallest gift, opened the box, and then pulled out a sleek pair of dark sunglasses. Ren beamed as she slipped them on. "Thank you so much, mama," Ren said.

Naoma had thought of the idea for them during one of her many worry sessions. Ren's eyes often caught the attention of others; this would be a way for her to conceal them. She wouldn't tell her daughter that yet though. "They'll protect your eyes from the sun. Go on and open the next one," Naoma encouraged her to move on.

The second box contained custom weighted kunai, perfect for Ren's small hands. The third and biggest gift contained two identical rusty brown long sleeve dresses that would reach halfway to Ren's knees, two pairs of tan pants to wear under the dresses, mesh armor, and closed toe ninja sandals. They were made from light-weight, breathable materials that, when melded with her chakra, would grow and adapt with her body. Naoma had spent a great deal of money, more than she cared to admit, on the gear but knew it would be worth it.

Ren was beyond ecstatic and hugged the clothes to her chest tightly. Naoma was thrilled that Ren liked them so much. The girl ran with them to her bedroom and emerged less than 10 minutes later wearing one of the outfits, sandals and sunglasses included. She walked through the living room and posed for her mother, both of them laughing and smiling.

"Maybe we should start tying your hair back," Naoma suggested as she watched Ren push some loose hairs out of her face. When her daughter didn't seem very pleased with the idea she added, "We can tie it near the ends of your hair so that we don't damage your hair but it will stay out of your way. How does that sound?" Ren nodded enthusiastically and stayed still while her mother gathered her hair. Ren's dark hair came down about 2 inches past her shoulders and so her mother tied it together at shoulder level with a white hairband.

"There we are," Naoma said once she had finished. Ren ran to the bathroom to look at herself in the mirror. Naoma sighed softly. Things were going to get difficult, but she was prepared and was confident that Ren was too.

* * *

**[8/25/15 Edit]:** _I have spent a very short amount of time trying to make certain this is a smoother read. No changes have been made to the story itself but I felt this necessary. I am currently working on the next chapter but have decided to return to it's roots and read it as a viewer as well... so that I can make the most of it. So much has happened in my life, some of which i will share with you all during the chapter 15 update, and I have been quite indisposed. I do promise to keep working towards the next update... but I do wish to fix previous grammatical and spelling errors when I can. This should be of assistance in regaining my inspiration, I hope. Until then, i bid you adieu and good fortune._


	2. Ch 1: A New Friend

**Chapter One**

Ren was 10 years old when _it _happened. She was wearing the same outfit her mother had given her 4 years prior because it suited and grew with her. Her hair now reached the small of her back and was still tied a few inches from the end. She wore sunglasses over her pale eyes to keep wandering eyes off her. Ren was in one of the two greenhouses in Suna with her female classmates.

Their sensei was pointing to different types of plants and giving details about their regions. The future konoichi group was listening intently; they'd all need to know this is they were ever going to infiltrate other regions as spies.

In Ren's 4 years at the academy so far, she'd learned a great deal of things from all of her sensei. She excelled at everything they taught her except when it came to genjutsu. She could memorize the information; that wasn't the problem. The issue was that she couldn't seem to get her chakra to flow into the person's brain and create a disruption to their senses. Because of this she couldn't complete any form of genjutsu; the whole thing frustrated Ren greatly.

"Hey Ren-_kun_," She heard whispered behind her. The girl turned to look at the two girls who were glaring at her. Ren didn't give them the satisfaction of letting them know that the '–Kun' part bothered her anymore; they were always calling her a boy, this was nothing new. "What are you still doing here," the blonde of the duo asked.

"Yeah, nerd," the brunette threw in, "Boys are shinobi, not kunoichi." The two girls had done this every day for the past year when Ren advanced into their class. She was 10 and they were 11, so they hadn't liked her from the start. Ren turned back to stare at her sensei; trying to ignore the girls as they continued going on about how her name was spelled and pronounced wrong for a girl. It didn't matter how many times Ren told them it meant 'lotus' and was unisex, they still continued teasing her.

Ren found that she missed her old class when she moved on; she had been bored with the class but her friends had been there and the boys she was friends with always stuck up for her when the older girls teased her. Ren wasn't sure what exactly it was that caused them to target her, she could guess many reasons, but Ren didn't like assuming anything. She didn't dare to take her sunglasses off, she thought maybe that was part of it. She had went the first day at the academy without them and that was the last time she was out in public like that.

Ren's classmates had thought she was blind, that wasn't a new thing to her, but the way her sensei had reacted to her gaze sent chills of panic down her spine. Ren had decided to sit in the back that day, out of site. Every time she met the chunin kunoichi's eyes the curiosity that could be read there was overwhelming and frightening even though Ren didn't understand why. Ren was thankful that kunoichi resigned within a few months because she got married.

Ren's thoughts drifted back to her current lessons, she couldn't afford to be distracted. She took a deep breath and looked at the new plant that was being talked about. It was apparently called Atropa Belladonna and had a wide range of uses from medicine to poisons.

"Every part of Atropa Belladonnas are toxic, even the leaves. Two to five berries from this plant could be lethal to an adult but the root is by far the most toxic. If a person has been poisoned by this plant they will have the following symptoms: increased heart rate, dilated pupils, sensitivity to light, blurred vision, loss of balance, staggering, headache, rash, flushed skin, severely dry mouth and throat, slurred speech, constipation, confusion, hallucinations, delirium, and convulsions. The antidote to belladonna poisoning is pilocarpus and calabar bean.

"That being said, it also has medical purposes. It's used as a pain reliever, muscle relaxer, anti-inflammatory, to treat menstrual problems, peptic ulcer disease, and motion sickness. We won't go into that right now though, that's information for those of you who will train to become medical nin," The sensei informed them all.

Ren had wished she had her journal; every piece of information would be important and deserved to be thoroughly recorded. Ren adjusted her sunglasses, pushing them up against her nose even further while she eyed her teacher. It was still thrilling, she could be looking anywhere and no one would know, her eyes were completely hidden.

Ren wasn't paying attention to the duo that stood behind her anymore; she was aware they were still talking about her but that didn't matter. She would surpass them just as she had her previous class. Ren's main focus was on her studies while theirs was on tormenting her and boys. The sensei turned her back and the brunette threw a rock at Ren, striking her in the back of her neck, just above the thoracic vertebrae.

Ren flinched but didn't move enough for either girl to notice. She chose to ignore it all the while wishing she had some way of getting revenge on the girls. _'If I were able to do genjutsu I could have a lot of fun messing with them,'_ Ren thought. Then she quickly dismissed the idea from her mind; she knew not to attack her comrades. She wanted to grow up to protect the Kazekage; she couldn't afford to ruin that on these girls.

The girls did nothing else to her after throwing the rock because class was dismissed for the day shortly after. Ren had been one of the first to leave. She didn't feel like sticking around to listen to anything more about her being a 'boy' or a 'nerd'.

Ren made it home to find the house empty and a note wrote in her mother's elegant writing on the kitchen table.

_"__Ren, I got called into the hospital for an extra shift. There's leftovers in the fridge. I'll be home as soon as I can. Love you, Mom," _was all that the note said.

Ren wasn't hungry and she had nothing better to do so she jotted a note on the back of her mother's saying that she was going to the training grounds, just in case her mother returned home before she did. Her handwriting was nowhere near as beautiful as her mother's, she noticed for the millionth time.

The walk there had been quick and uneventful. Her kunai throwing had been boring, she had excellent aim on stationary targets; nothing was exciting about any of the training she was doing until a boy she didn't know approached her.

The boy was two inches shorter than Ren and had shaggy brown hair; he was dressed in an all-black jumpsuit. She thought he looked familiar but couldn't place from where. His face was emotionless, just like Ren's currently was, as he stared at her. "Do you need someone to spar with," the boy asked in an emotionless, high voice that hadn't started to change just yet. Ren was sure he was about her age.

"S-sure," Ren said meekly. Her own voice had not changed much since she was younger, it was still quiet, kind, and slightly high. The two of them got into fighting stances and he raised his fists up almost in front of his face. Ren mimicked him and they circled around each other with graceful steps, each sizing up their opponent.

He swung first. He aimed at her head with a right hook and Ren ducked to throw a jab towards his abdomen with her left. Neither of them made contact with the other. They stood staring at each other for a few moments and then the boy smirked at her.

They traded punches and kicks for an hour, dodging and countering each other in a graceful dance-like spar. He managed to land one hit on her right shoulder caused her to skid backwards. It stung but wasn't a serious injury. She rotated her right arm to relieve some of the pain from her shoulder while glared at him from behind her sunglasses, knowing full well he couldn't see that she was.

She didn't realize that she was using her chakra until her vision changed and she watched the boy take a step backward but his face remained emotionless. Everything seemed like she was looking through a negative filter for a camera. She could see the boy's outline perfectly, despite the brightness. She took a deep breath and stopped focusing her chakra towards her eyes. She blinked quite a few times to clear away the blur in her vision.

Ren heard the boy come up to her and she turned her head down just a little to look at him. "Are you okay," he asked, his neutral voice lightly laced with concern, "the skin around your eyes went all crazy for a minute. What happened?"

Ren shook her head, feeling completely hopeless. "I don't know," she answered honestly. Her voice was coated in worry and confusion. She had no idea what had just happened or why it had just happened.

She stifled a sigh but the boy didn't notice. "It was amazing," the boy told her, his voice showing a hint of excitement, "Can you do it again?" When Ren shook her head he said, "Aw," with disappointment. Ren knew very well she could probably do it again but she really didn't want to. "Hey, let's be friends," the boy said after a few moments, "my name's Kankuro. What's yours?"

Ren blinked twice from behind her sunglasses. Kankuro was the name of Lord Kazekaga Rasa's oldest son. Her breath hitched in her throat but she managed to sputter out, "I-I'm R-R-Ren H-Hy-Hyogo a-and I-I'd l-l-like t-to b-be f-fr-friends." Ren was feeling so starstruck that she didn't even notice her stuttering. She admired The Fourth so talking to his son was an _honor_; she totally forgot that she had just been sparring with him.

The boy laughed a little at her and informed her, "I'll come back tomorrow and we can spar again. You're fast but I'm stronger." Kankuro gave her an impish grin. It was strange, seeing emotion on his face now. When she had first met him he had seemed so stoic.

"W-will you keep w-what happened a secret," Ren asked him modestly. She didn't know why but she felt the need to hide whatever had happened with her eyes. She would maybe mention it to her mother when she returned home, but only to her mother and now her new friend, Kankuro.

"Hn," was all he said at first. His voice was back to nearly emotionless, perhaps he understood her desire to hide it. "I won't tell anyone," he reassured her. He started running away, calling to her over his shoulder as he waved, "I need to head home now; I'll see you tomorrow."

Ren stood there smiling for a good while thinking about how much better her day was now that she had befriended Kankuro. She then decided she should head home too. She walked into the house; it was still empty. That suited Ren just fine for the time being; she had a lot to think about. Ren left her sandals by the door as she always did and then stepped up onto the clean sandstone foundation that the majority of the house, save the front door, was rested upon.

She headed to the refrigerator and pulled out the plate her mother had left for her. Ren put it in the microwave and removed her sunglasses to rub her eyes. "What was that," She muttered aloud to herself. She was tempted to try it again but she felt so drained. She really wanted to know what was going on with her. '_Maybe mom knows,_' she thought. She decided that she'd ask her mother about it upon her return.

Naoma didn't come home until it was well past dark but Ren had stayed up to wait on her. Naoma dragged her bare, aching feet against the cool sandstone and sat down at the table with her daughter. "What are you still doing up, darling," Naoma asked as Ren stared at her.

"Mom," Ren said quietly, "Something so weird happened today." Ren waited a few seconds before continuing, "I was sparring with my new friend and I started focusing on him," She wouldn't tell her mother that she was glaring at The Fourth's eldest son, "and something happened. The way I saw things was," Ren paused and shook her head, trying to find the right word, "It was different."

Ren watched as her mother's already fair face lost all color; a sheer wave of panic could be easily read on Naoma's face. Ren opened her mouth to say something but Naoma raised her hand to silence her daughter. She took a deep breath and whispered, "Show me." It was barely audible but Ren obliged. She couldn't hold this strange technique for long but it had been long enough. "We have a lot to talk about," Naoma informed her daughter.

Ren's stomach sank and she was suddenly sure that whatever she was about to be told would change everything. Ren had the feeling she would be needing a bigger pair of sunglasses, maybe even goggles. One thing Ren was certain of though, she was never going to be focusing chakra to her eyes again.

* * *

**A/N: **_This whole story is possible thanks to my best friend, RaRa. Because of him I'm confident with my plot and he's full of amazing ideas. He makes me a better author! _

_I don't feel that this __needs__ to be said but I do __**NOT**__ own Naruto._

_Okay, one last bit: I have this story rated as M for later chapters. Y'all will see! Reviews are greatly appreciated. I hope that no one cares that I didn't go into great detail about the sensei. To be honest I didn't even plan to include her at all!_

**[8/25/15 Edit]: **_I have merely cleaned up this chapter but it did not require much. Chapter 15 is coming, I promise. Thank you all for your support._


	3. Ch 2: The Puppet

**Chapter Two**

Ren's pale eyes were ablaze with excitement from behind her dark sunglasses. Today was the day she had met Kankuro 2 years ago. The two of them had trained together twice a week every week. Kankuro had started using his puppets; it was something that Ren enjoyed watching him do. She was standing in the training grounds wearing the exact same outfit and hairstyle she always wore but they weren't going to be practicing today.

Kankuro waved to her when he saw her standing with her arms crossed behind her back. A smile formed on both their lips and she waved back. She removed her sunglasses and tucked them into the collar of her shirt; she never removed her glasses for anyone but Kankuro in public.

Kankuro still wore his black jumpsuit but had begun wearing a hood with cat-like ears and his Suna forehead protector on it. His face was no longer a blank slate, he started wearing face paint in the traditional bunraku fashion.

The boy had changed a lot in the past year, he was now much taller and most of the chubbiness had left his face. He wasn't looking like a little kid anymore; he was starting to develop into a man. His voice was getting deeper as well.

Ren's own face had thinned down some, her hair was even longer, and she had fringe that framed her face. She was 12 and had started developing breasts, much to her distress. She was an early bloomer compared to some of the other kunoichi and so she went out of her way to bind her chest as tight as she could while still being able to breathe. Her mother would always scold her for this but Ren didn't want the attention prepubescent boys were sure to give.

Ren ran up to Kankuro, a smile on her face, and threw her arms around his waist. He now had a good 3 inches on her in height. Kankuro hugged her back lightly, anything more than that would have been too much. They released each other after only a few seconds and Ren reached up to try and grab his hood. "Hey," Kankuro exclaimed as he backed away from her and placed his hand on his head, "That's mine you know. It stays on my head." His brows were furrowed as he glared at her.

Ren pretended to be upset by frowning and crossing her arms in front of her chest. She tried to give him a face that resembled a puppy as she pouted, her light eyes locked on his dark ones. "But Kankuro-kun," she whined, throwing in the honorific for good measure.

Kankuro stared at Ren and his glare softened just a little. He interrupted her with a groan and told her, "Don't pull _the face_ on me, Ren-chan," using a honorific of his own, "you know it doesn't work." His tone was laced with annoyance but his eyes told a different story. He wasn't angry with her, not at all, but he wouldn't back down to her; he never had and he never would. "I've told you a million times," he said in exaggeration as he swept his hands down in front of himself to draw attention to his clothes, "this whole get-up is standard bunraku. I'm not taking my hood off for a silly girl. I wear this stuff so that my puppets don't get distracted. It's for Crow." He motioned with his hand to the puppet that hung from his shoulders, it was wrapped up like a mummy and only its dark brown locks were visible.

Ren frowned for real when he mentioned her being a 'silly girl'; she couldn't help it. Ren adored Kankuro; he was by far her best and dearest friend. She didn't want him to think of her as silly. "We aren't even training today," She snapped at him. Her tone had been bitterer than she intended; it was coated in pain and slight insecurity.

Kankuro knew the tone well; he was always saying something that she didn't like. How they remained friends wasn't comprehendible to people who didn't see them spar. They pushed each other to be better, stronger, and faster. They had faith in each other and knew what to do or say to push the other person to be even better.

"That much is true," Kankuro told her, "but I'm still not taking off my hood. You never know when enemies may attack. We have to always be ready. You still have your fans with you," He reminded her as he pointed to the two fans that were tied to Ren's left hip, "You're prepared, so am I. We're genin now, we're not dumb academy kids who rely on everyone else to protect them." Kankuro's voice had taken a rough tone; his irritation was quite clear.

Ren flinched a little at his words. Everything he did and said impacted her. She swallowed hard. "Y-you're right a-and I-I do t-ta-take i-it s-ser-seriously," Ren said as she turned her gaze to her feet. She felt like he had smacked her across the face; he doubted that she was taking their ranks seriously.

Ren wondered if that had something to do with Ryota and Ken, her teammates; they were always goofing around and getting into trouble. Ren had hoped to make it to chunin before she was 14 but the two of them would make that next to impossible. She wanted to be elite and work for Kankuro's father; she knew she would have to be impressive to do that but the two boys she was teamed up with weren't as dedicated.

That was why Ren was still training weekly with Kankuro; she wanted to continue to improve at an accelerated pace. Kankuro was her friend but he was so much more than that. He was the very thing that reminded her she needed to keep getting better. She adored him, he was like a (slightly) older brother that she was determined to surpass.

Kankuro's harsh expression softened just a little, which was hard to see from behind his face paint. "I didn't mean that the way it came out," Kankuro told her with a soft sigh, "I know you take things seriously. If you didn't we wouldn't still be training together. I'd of passed you up. You can hold your own against Crow. When I get Ant made though, you may be in for it!" Kankuro's voice had turned to playful.

Ren couldn't help but smile; he was good at cheering her up and making up for his mistakes. "Oh yeah," she asked with a smug smirk on her thin lips, "What are you going to do if Ant doesn't do anything to me? I'm getting even faster, no puppet will be able to catch me soon." Ren had put her hands on her hips, feeling quite proud of herself even though she wasn't entirely sure she would ever be able to beat Kankuro in a real battle.

Kankuro's lips developed a smirk of their own. Ren's heart skipped a beat as his dark eyes peered into hers as if delving into her very being. She didn't feel fear but she did feel a little anxiety. He took a step closer and she nearly gasped. There had only been about 3 steps between them. He took another, now their bodies were so close she could feel his body heat despite the hot Suna sun beating down on them. Kankuro placed his hand on Ren's shoulder and leaned down slowly. A blush crept up and colored Ren's whole face, she was afraid he was going to kiss her or something equally as unpleasant; he was like a brother to her, after all.

His head moved to the side and his lips were right next to her ear. She nearly let out a sigh of relief until he whispered, "I guess we'll just have to wait and see." He continued to smirk and Ren couldn't help but take in his scent; he was that close to her. He smelled like sand and aloe; just like home. "Oh, I almost forgot," he said as he stood up straight and took a step back to give her breathing room which she greatly appreciated. "Here," he said as he pulled a box out from behind Crow to hand it to her

Ren took the box from him and examined it. It was a small, rectangular, black box that seemed to be made out of some kind of sturdy paper, maybe like cardboard. It reminded Ren, horrifyingly, of a little coffin. "What's this," Ren asked as she pointed to the box.

"Open it up and find out," Kankuro told her as he turned his head to look away as if embarrassed.

Ren carefully separated the flaps and stared into the box. A small wooden figure lay inside. She pulled it out and examined it. It had a humanoid appearance. The puppet had red hair, almost similar to what The Fourth's youngest son was rumored to have. Ren of course knew very well it was meant to be Sasori of The Red Sand, Kankuro's idol. It was fully mobile. "K-Kankuro," she whispered as she turned her head to look into his eyes.

"It was the first puppet I ever made that I could work," He told her with a shrug, like it was no big deal.

"I-its," she started saying but had to stop to blink back tears, "It's beautiful. I can't accept this though. It's yours. You worked so hard on it, I can tell."

"It's yours now," Kankuro told her in a calm voice.

"B-but," She stuttered out.

"You keep it and take care of it," he said with a shrug, "I've got plenty more like it and it doesn't do anything but waste space for me."

Ren knew better than to argue with him. She had to blink back more tears and fought the urge to hug him again. They weren't affectionate; they were friends. She took a deep, shaky breath and then turned and picked up the box that she had placed there when she first arrived.

Her box was plain cardboard but it was heavy. "This is for you," she told him quietly, "I hope you like it."

Kankuro had a smug smirk on his face as he opened the box, leaving Ren holding it. His smirk turned into a genuine smile as he pulled out a leather pouch. "You didn't," he said in awe. He would recognize the flat pouch anywhere; it was one he had pointed out to Ren a few months before. He untied it and unrolled it, admiring the tools that were tucked into slits within the leather. "You did," he said flabbergasted, "I've wanted these forever. You know how much better I can take care of Crow with these? And how much better I'll be able to get Ant ready?"

The excitement on his face made her giggle. She was pleased he was so thrilled with his gift; it had taken her nearly the whole three months she had known about the tools to save up for them. She could tell that he thought about hugging her but he never did. She was fine with that and knew he was too. "I'm really glad you like them," She told him with a smile.

He spent a good long while explaining what each tool was for while they sat in the sand. She had listened to his words and tried to memorize everything. "Hey," he said after he'd been through all the tools, "I should show you the workshop sometime. The Fourth wouldn't like it much but it'd be a lot of fun. There's also a big library at home so maybe we could find some stuff about your eyes. I know you haven't wanted to use it much but we've been practicing. I think the books could help a whole lot."

Ren knew that Kankuro was right but that didn't make the idea of using her kekkei genkai any more appealing. She could remember her mother's explanation perfectly…

_-Flashback-_

_Ren sat at the table with her mother. It seemed that Naoma was completely uncomfortable with this discussion and it made Ren so uneasy. "I've already told you that you get your eyes from your father," Naoma told her reluctantly, "but what I didn't mention was that with those eyes comes something more. It's called the byakugan and it's a perk of being of Hyuga blood. Truthfully you've been able to use it since you were born." Naoma paused to let the information sink in._

_"__This ability is really powerful, Ren. It's so powerful that they seal it in clan members that aren't what they call 'the main branch'. It's a big deal to them and they don't want other people stealing it. Your father never found out I was pregnant with you and I count that a blessing, Ren. They would've sealed your byakugan and that would have been worse than you just not knowing you had it. I'm sorry that I didn't tell you about this before but I didn't want anything to happen to you._

_"__The byakugan will give you nearly 360 degree vision. It has a blind spot but your father never really told me much about it. You should be able to see 50 meters in any direction right now and it can be trained to see much further. It's able to see through genjutsu, smokescreens, and solid objects. _

_"__It also sees the chakra network, which is what makes the clan's fighting style possible. It's a special type of taijutsu called 'Gentle Fist'. I'm not sure exactly what it's like because I never really saw your father use it. Basically because you can see the chakra points you can send small, needle-like blasts of chakra into this points to block or unblock the chakra flow. The damage is devastating to the organs because they're so close to the chakra network. Gentle Fist isn't like normal taijutsu, it's for internal damage and the touch doesn't have to be full of a lot of strength._

_"__You have to be careful with this Ren. I was fortunate enough that it took you 10 years to discover you could do it on your own. If other people found out, who knows what could happen. There are a lot of people who would love to have your eyes and the Hyuga's," Naoma paused and shook her head, "Who knows what they would do," she muttered._

_-End Flashback-_

Ren had promised her mother to be careful and over the past two years she had been. The only person to know what she could do was Kankuro, he hadn't even told his father. He had been far more help to her than she could ever express. Saving up her money and buying him the tools her really wanted had felt like a 'no brainer' to her; it was the least she could do for him.

Kankuro glanced up towards the sun and let a soft sigh escape his lips. "It looks like I need to get going. It would be a shame to leave The Fourth waiting at the dinner table alone," He muttered as he stood up.

Ren flashed him a small smile as she looked up at him. "I'd be more worried about him being alone with Temari-san. Who knows what she'd tell him. Maybe she'd mention the book your sensei caught you with," Her giggle filled the air around them but Kankuro didn't look amused. "I'll see you later," She told him with a wave.

He shrugged and grumbled a soft, "See you." He walked away carrying his new tools and Ren found herself staring at the puppet. It did look a lot like Sasori-sama.

She smiled at the puppet and stood up. She decided to walk the long way home but that turned out to have been a mistake. When she was passing one of the shops she bumped into one of her old classmates, one of the ones that liked to tease her. Ren bounced back off of the girl but remained upright, barely.

The girl had brown hair, a round face, and her name was Miki. Miki practically growled at Ren. "Watch where you're going, Ren-_kun_," the brunette told her. "Hey what's that," She asked as she pointed to the Sasori puppet that was still in Ren's hand.

Ren didn't have a chance to hide it. Before she could even blink there were two more of her peers staring at her. The brunette's dark brown eyes locked on Ren's and she grabbed the puppet from Ren. Ren quickly reached out to grab it back but the girl held it above her head, just out of Ren's reach. Ren cursed being shorter than everyone; they were all growing and she wasn't getting any taller at all.

Miki smiled at her frustration and informed her, "It's mine now." Then Miki took off running down an alley with Ren chasing closely behind her. Miki ran into a dead end and Ren was sure she had her. She grabbed for the puppet again but Miki dodged and ran past Ren to join the two boys that had followed them. They stood at the alley's only exit; Ren was cornered in the alley.

Ren took a step back and almost bumped into the wall as she tried to calm her racing heart. She took a deep breath and took three steps forward to make up for her taking a step back. "Give me back my puppet," Ren commanded, her voice calm and demanding even though inside she was nervous.

"Why would I do that," Miki's annoying voice chimed back as her face twisted into an ugly glare, "Did your _girlfriend_ give it to you? _She_ must like you a whole lot to give you this hunk of junk."

Ren was now furious and a sneer formed on her face. "GIVE IT BACK," She yelled as Miki's two friends stepped between the two girls. Ren was now beyond angry. She glared but didn't focus chakra to her eyes; she wouldn't give these people something to use against her. The boy on the left had brown hair and the one on the right had black hair, not quite as dark as Ren's. The brown-haired male cracked his knuckles. "It's _mine,_" Ren shouted at them.

"No, now its Miki's," the boy with black hair told her lazily. "Your _girlfriend _can just make you a new one," He said with a stupid smirk on his face.

Ren hated that they called her a boy but she hated that they called Kankuro a girl just because he was her friend even more. "Kankuro is a man," Ren muttered, "Much more of a man than any of you!" Ren knew Kankuro wasn't a man, they were 12, but it sounded better than saying 'boy'.

The boy with black hair huffed and the boy with brown hair swung at her with a closed fist aimed at her face while gritting his teeth. Ren was slightly shocked so her reaction time was a little too slow; a fellow sand ninja had just swung at her. She raised her arm up to redirect his punch but she only managed to move it a little. His fist collided with her cheek, just below her cheekbone, and grazed backwards towards her ear. For a change Ren was glad not to be wearing her sunglasses; they surely would have shattered and damaged her face worse than his fist. "That doll is Miki's now! Get off it! I'll show you how much of a man I am," The boy shouted as his fist met flesh.

Ren was livid. He was supposed to be a comrade, they all were, but yet this would be a fight. A fight over something Ren loved, her newest, most prized possession. Ren growled, ignoring the pain in her face, and punched her own fist into the boys gut. He stared up at her face and Ren could read the shock there. "That _puppet_ is mine. Kankuro is my friend and he wouldn't want _her_ to have it," Ren shouted as she pulled her fist away. The boy stumbled back but quickly recovered.

Both boys threw punches and kicks at Ren from every angle. She was stuck on the defensive: dodging, blocking, and redirecting. She didn't have time to get another counterstrike in that wouldn't be too painful, they were punching and kicking at her too fast for caution. Ren was fast and good with taijutsu, that wasn't the problem; the problem was that Ren didn't want to hurt her comrades.

When the boys didn't seem to be willing to stop Ren clinched her jaw in determination. She was so furious that she punched the brown-haired boy up under his chin so hard he saw stars. Unfortunately when she was punching him the black-haired boy managed to kick her hard in the back of the knee. Ren's knee buckled and she lost her balance. She dropped down on one knee. The boy kneed her in the face as Ren thrust her palm into his abdomen far more gently than was expected; a small burst of her chakra entered the boy like tiny needles.

The boy screamed, "What did you do to me?" He looked at her as if she were a monster; he fell back onto his butt and clinched his belly where she had used 'Gentle Fist.' Ren immediately regretted her choice but didn't have time to do anything about it. Miki raised the Sasori puppet up to show Ren that she still had it.

"If you want this dumb doll so bad," Miki told her with a vicious look in her eyes, "I'll give it back to you in pieces!"

Ren went wide-eyed at Miki's implication. Her heart stopped as she watched Miki wrap her hands around the puppet. It was evident that Miki intended to snap it in half. All of time started to slow down, and her mind went dark with the image before her. She didn't even notice that the brunette boy came at her from behind and put her in a headlock to keep her down on one knee, making her watch the upcoming fate of her doll.

Not even 15 minutes since she left him and her first real gift from her best friend was on the verge of getting destroyed. She knew good and damn well how much it meant for him to give his first work to her. It was his symbol of how he cared for her, treasured her, entrusted her with a treasure of his.

_'__No… No…'_

Her eyes never left her wooden Sasori. The beady eyes wobbled helplessly as she heard its torso starting to give way from the pressure of Miki's grip.

_'__No… No…. No…'_

The brunette boy looked down at Ren with a wryly smirk to see the despair in her eyes. It soon left him as he felt a slow vibration coming off of her. Looking down, he noticed that Ren's right foot was virtually invisible. "Uh…Miki? Something's up with her," he whimpered as he tried to hold Ren down harder than before, but the vibrations kept coming stronger than before.

_'__No… no no no no no no….' _

Miki could barely react as she took a moment to take her eyes off the doll to look at Ren. Her heart stopped as she came to realize that Ren was just an inch away from her face, with the boy holding her being dragged along, sniveling from the sudden jerk of now hanging onto Ren by her shoulders. Miki's blood ran cold as she saw Ren's eyes: rickety, bloodied, and full of tears; while her mouth hung agape, as if screaming off the top of her lungs without any sound forming.

…Before Miki could even gasp, the three of them disappeared from the alley, a high-pitched **WHIFF~** and the dark-haired boy was left behind…

The three of them shot forward, directly out from the dark alley and into a grocer's kart — 50 feet away from the same alley, in less than a second. Passersby, as well as the kart's owner, flinched and shielded themselves from the incoming debris of the sudden crash. But all their eyes widened to the sound of concrete being crushed.

It took a few seconds for the dust to clear, but the damage was far more intense than realized.

The brunette's arm was completely torn off from his shoulder; he gasped for air as shock took over from the sight of the blood rushing out from his body.

Miki laid bare within the sand and rubble, eyes dazed as she couldn't feel her upper body. She struggled to breathe as her face was caved in from something hard.

Ren was right in the middle of the crater within the concrete wall; unmoving with the boy's arm clinging tightly onto her shoulder. Her face trapped in a fixated gasp as she blacked out with the sight of her doll tight within her hand, alongside a wide gash and blood-dripped wood.

* * *

**_A/N: _**_If any of you are confused about what Ren just did exactly, that will be explained in the next chapter. I want to give a super big THANK YOU to RaRa, my very best bestie, for writing the end of the fight scene! I tweaked it only a baby bit... and it's just wicked! Reviews loved and welcomed, as long as they're constructive! I'm super excited about this one and cannot wait to get the next one out. I'm shooting for Tuesdays being "Update" day... even though this is coming out really early Monday morning... i'm not good with schedules... just a heads up!_

**[8/25/15 Edit]: **_I again just cleaned up errors and worked to improve the smoothness of reading. I hope I've done a decent job at it. This is my third edit of this story today and am fully aware that from this chapter on... they become a great deal longer. I'm not sure exactly why I started doing it that way and now feel it might have benefited me to have ended each chapter at the end of each scene change like I would if i were writing a novel... but what's done is done. I will continue on this story in the same manner in which it has been written thus far but know that future stories will not hold the same traits. _


	4. Ch 3: The Darkness

Chapter Three

August 1st-12 years old

Ren felt strangely numb. She was surrounded by emptiness that contained no light. Her body felt as if it were merely floating along. She couldn't activate her byakugan, not that she had truly wanted to. She could only float about the darkness searching for anyone or anything she could find.

Ren found nothing. Only darkness. She found a strange peace in it. She wished she could find Kankuro though. He was usually the light that penetrated the darkness she had begun to feel every time her classmates teased her. She didn't understand how he could not be the light for Gaara, his brother, too.

Ren was left to her thoughts. She thought about how sorry she was that she had failed Kankuro. She thought about how she would try to fix the puppet. She even thought about how she would explain the situation to her mother.

There were some thoughts that Ren avoided though. She didn't want to think about the death grip one of the boys had had on her arm. She didn't want to think about stinging pain she felt as she collided with Miki. She did not know if they were alive or dead. She didn't know what happened to any of the trio.

The thing Ren hated most was all that blood. Ren had seen blood before. Ren had drawn blood before. Never was it anything like that. She didn't know what happened. One moment she was watching her puppet being broke in two and the next she was in Miki's face.

Something had happened with her legs. Something Ren didn't understand. It was as if she had propelled herself forward. All she thought about was getting her Sasori back. Because of this she may have killed two of her classmates. The third had been injured internally. She was almost sure they were all dead.

_"__Dead,"_ Ren mused, _"Am I dead? Is this hell? Where am I? What am I doing here? How do I get out of here?"_ These were questions Ren asked herself over and over but she wasn't sure for how long. She had no concept of time here within the darkness.

XXXXXXXX

September 4th-12 years old

Ren did not know how long she had been floating within the darkness. She was growing so used to the silence that when she finally heard _something_ it was near deafening. There was the piercing sound of something scrapping against stone, possibly a chair scrapping the floor. The only flaw with this idea was that the darkness had no floor. It had no walls. It was endless.

"I know you can't hear me," a male voice thundered through the darkness, "but I need to tell you that I miss you and I'm ready for you to wake up." She recognized the voice immediately.

_"__Wake up? I am awake, Kankuro! What do you mean wake up? Kankuro I'm right here. I hear you," _Ren said through her thoughts. She had no voice within the darkness. She wanted to run towards his voice but it was all around her.

"It's been over a month and a half. Miki and her crew have all pretty much recovered from everything that happened. None of them will be nin now," She listened as his words trailed off. Ren didn't know what to think, what to _feel._ He didn't give her time to process it, "I've ran into your teammates a couple of times. They're really worried about you too. We all want you to wake up. I promise I'll do anything you want. I'll talk my father into letting you use the library. I'll make you as many puppets as you'll ever want. I'll find you the best boyfriend ever. I'll do your chores for a month. Please just wake up."

She could hear his breathing shallow and a few sobs escape him. Kankuro was crying, she was sure of it. She could practically hear his tears falling to the ground. She could hear the way his breath hitched in his throat now and then as if he were having trouble sobbing and breathing.

Ren felt like crying too but she couldn't. She could hear Kankuro but she couldn't see him. She could hear his sadness but she couldn't comfort him. The darkness was too thick and she couldn't reach him. Ren began to run trying to figure out where he was but she felt like she never got any closer.

"Ren calm down," Kankuro's voice echoed through the darkness. There were beeps and alarms going off in the background but she didn't know what it would be. She heard several feet stepping around her but she still saw no one. She heard other voices but couldn't make any of them out. None were as loud or as clear as Kankuro's.

Suddenly everything went silent again. No more voices, not more beeps._"Kankuro," _she called out to him. She waited for what felt like forever but got no response. She called out to him louder, _"KANKURO! Where are you? Where am I? Please don't leave me here!"_

XXXXXXXX

January 1st-12 years old

The silence of the darkness was interrupted once again. She didn't know how long it had been since she had heard from Kankuro. She didn't know why he left her alone in the darkness. She didn't understand it at all.

"Hey Ren," the voice of a boy broke the silence. His voice was awkward due to being in a 'transition' phase. She knew this to be Ken. He was experiencing puberty a little faster than their other teammate, Ryota.

"We came by again today," her other male teammate said in a voice higher than Ken's. Kankuro's voice was by far the deepest and roughest sounding. Ryota still sounded a little girly.

"We keep hoping you'll come back to us soon," Ken told her.

"It's not the same, training without you," Ryota threw in.

The silence that filled the darkness again made Ren wonder if they were still there.

_"__Ken? Ryota? Please still be here,"_ She called out from her mind.

When no response came Ren felt herself sinking into a depression. _"Maybe it's best that I'm here alone. I can't hurt anyone from here,"_ She told herself.

At that moment Ren heard movement. It was like someone rustled a blanket or took off a coat. Something happened. Someone was still around.

"We keep telling you the same things over and over," Ryota admitted. He sounded like he was fighting tears. Under different circumstances, Ren would have paid to see either of them crying. This was different. This wasn't fun. They were truly upset and she was to blame.

"It's just that we're out of new things to say," Ken threw in, "It's not like we don't have things to talk about; it'd just be better if we could talk things out with you awake. I don't think I can even remember your voice now. We ran into Kankuro on the way in here. He has been here every day except when he's away on missions. I can see why you like him so much. I'd love to tease you and ask if he's your boyfriend, but it's no fun if you can't get mad at me for it… Plus I know that he's not."

"_Anyway, _Miki's been really mean since _it _happened," Ryota emphasized 'Anyway' and 'it' as he spoke, "She's not all that upset about not being able to be a kunoichi," he paused, "At least not as upset as she is about the scars on her face. You really did a number on her. She's really bitter towards Ken and me because we're your teammates."

"Yuin-sensei has been by quite a few times. She's pretty worried about you too. We all miss you so much. It's just not the same," Ken's voice echoed, "We've still been training really hard. Ryota seems to have a knack for Earth-Release. I'm still trying to figure myself out."

There was a sense of sadness in Ken's words. Ren knew very well that Ken felt like he was the weak link. At some times she felt like she could agree with him, other times she felt like she was the weak one. Both of her teammates always went out of their way to make sure she was fine.

_"__I miss you guys too,"_ Ren told them, _"I miss everyone so much… but I don't want to hurt anyone ever again."_

Ren never got a response. She hadn't expected one. She was surrounded once again by the empty silence that lurked within the darkness. She was alone again, all alone, and it frightened her.

XXXXXXXX

February 9- 12 years old

"No one Father's questioned so far has been any help," Kankuro's voice sliced through the darkness. Ren was so exhausted that she couldn't even lift her head to try and find him. "I'm not giving up. If we haven't figured out what happened by the time she wakes up, she'll tell us herself. I'm not giving up on her. She'll pull through this. I know she will." Kankuro's words were filled with confidence but Ren could feel the doubt. He doubted her.

"I know your father is doing what he can," Naoma's vocals filled the darkness as if she were standing right next to Ren, "Thank you, Kankuro. You're a very good friend. I'm sorry that I was so hostile towards you in the beginning. It wasn't like I meant to be that way. It's just that she's my baby."

Ren could hear the muffled sobs of her mother. She could picture Naoma crying into her hands or maybe even into Kankuro's shoulder. He'd probably rub her back how he had rubbed Ren's when she cried the last time. One thing Ren couldn't picture was her mother being hostile to her friend…

"I can't begin to understand how you feel," Kankuro admitted, "I can't imagine what it's like to be a parent, let alone to go through all this. Ren's my best friend. She's put up with me through the good and the bad, even after learning who I was and who my family is. She claims she's not afraid of my family, of my brother, and that she wants to protect my father when she's skilled enough."

There was a pause but nothing was silent. Ren could still hear beeps. "I don't know much about you, but your daughter adores you," Kankuro finally continued. Maybe he had stopped to hand her mom a tissue or something. "I think it probably takes a very strong woman to raise a daughter like her alone. She'll wake up soon."

There was more sobbing but it faded so suddenly.

XXXXXXXX

May 27th- 12 years old

Sobs. That was what the darkness filled with. Ren immediately recognized them as her mothers. She wished to reach out and hug her mother. To comfort her. To do something for her.

"Please wake up," Naoma pleaded, "I can't stand this. I know you can't hear me, I know that, but please. Please just wake up. Come back to me, baby. I need you. I need you more than I need air! You've been asleep for so long and I can't stand it. I miss your smiles and your laughs. Please just wake up baby!"

The sobs sliced through the Ren's heart like a knife through butter. She felt like her chest would explode. Her heart hurt so much and she felt like crying along with her mother, but she still couldn't form tears. _"I'm so sorry, kaasan. I don't know how to 'wake up'. I don't know if I want to. I can't physically hurt anyone here in the darkness. Either way I'm hurting you though. I'm so sorry!"_

XXXXXXXX

July 8th- 13 years old

Ren still felt nothing physical: no pain, no pleasure. She was just there. It was as if she were nothing more than a soul wandering through the infinite darkness. She didn't know how she'd gotten to this point. She remembered everything that had happened before she fell into it. "_What is this darkness,"_ Ren asked herself for the trillionth time.

Ren remembered everything from before more clearly now. She had been watching her most prized possession snap in half. She had been so desperate to move that something bizarre happened with her legs. She was unaware at the time how she had closed the gap between herself and Miki but she had done so as if it had been nothing. She didn't know exactly how many times she was kicking herself up off the ground in the blink of an eye; she hadn't counted. 10? 15?

Ren had never meant to hurt anyone. _'That isn't on me. They were the ones who went too far,'_ she told herself, trying to convince herself none of this was her fault.

The truth was that Ren had never seen so much blood. The truth was that she had used her chakra to harm a comrade; the truth was that she had moved so quickly that she had literally ripped a guy's arm off with the momentum; and, the hardest truth of all, she had used so much force and speed that she had all but killed a fellow kunoichi.

Ren remembered it all. She wished she didn't; she wished she could vaporize the images. They plagued her thoughts constantly now. '_There was so much blood_,' Ren thought, _'I am a monster. I'm just like Gaara. Oh Kankuro, what do I do?' _

'… _Kankuro…' _

She was certain he should hate her. So why didn't he? She had allowed Miki to ruin his first usable puppet. She knew that he hadn't made his own puppets in so long. She knew how much that puppet must have meant. Sure he had Crow and was working with Black Ant, but those were puppets made by another, made by Sasori. There weren't enough words to explain just how important that puppet was.

"You ruined my life, my beauty, my dreams," a female voice called out. She couldn't tell who. Someone familiar. The voice was overly annoying. There was movement and suddenly Ren's airways weren't working. In the darkness she kicked and punched the air. She didn't connect with anyone or anything, "I'm going to make sure you never wake up from your coma."

_"__I'm going to die. I won't exist anymore,"_ Ren panicked. She couldn't breathe and she couldn't fight the person of. She couldn't reach anyone or anything. She didn't want to die. She didn't want to deal with all the pain her life had brought her but death wasn't something she wanted!

"What the hell do you think you're doing," a new feminine voice echoed. The female's voice was modulated. It was controlled and strangely pleasant to listen to. It had an aura of confidence surrounding it that Ren couldn't place.

Ren heard nothing other than footsteps as she tried her best to breathe. There was a loud **SMACK **sound like skin meeting skin. As abruptly as her airways had been blocked they cleared. Ren didn't gasp for air, she just breathed. It was frightening to her. She heard someone yelp then the crack of a bone breaking.

"What does she matter to you, Temari? She's a monster! She'll destroy us all. I was doing Suna a favor," The first female whined out. Ren was now aware that his voice was Miki's. It was laced with pain and hate. Miki hated Ren. That shockingly didn't bother Ren. Ren didn't like her either. She was certain the girl had just tried to kill her.

_"__Temari… Is that who the second girl is? What is she doing here? Why did she save me? I'm a monster, Miki's right, but I'd never destroy Suna. Never. Since when does Temari know I exist? Does it have something to do with Kankuro? Where _is_ Kankuro,"_ Ren's thoughts were becoming too much. This was all so much emotional pain. She didn't want to hurt anymore.

"You really are that stupid aren't you," Ren heard Temari reply, "You are aware you're going to be in a lot of trouble now right? Trying to kill a citizen of Suna is a criminal offense. I'm not sure how you managed to get in here but you've made a huge mistake. There's no way in hell my father is going to let you off easy this time. Hyogo Ren is under the protection of the Fourth Kazekage."

"Why is this monster under Lord Kazekage's protection? She's a danger to us all," Miki shouted.

Ren didn't want to hear anymore. She felt her heart rate increase. She was having an anxiety attack. She could hear beeps and alarms going off, like they had before when she was so upset over Kankuro. Nothing was within reach. Ren submitted to the silence of the darkness.

XXXXXXXX

August 12th-13 years old

"Hyogo-san," a raspy male voice interrupted Ren's constant brooding, "We just can't figure out why she won't wake up. The results from her most recent tests say that her brain is fine. Everything has healed as it should have. She should have woken by now. We're thinking that there's something else that's keeping your daughter from waking."

"What do you mean," Naoma's voice responded.

"It's quite possible that she's remaining in her coma for subconscious reasons. What your daughter did was traumatic for the other three involved, maybe it was even more traumatic for her," The male elaborated. Ren figured he was her doctor.

"She wouldn't want to keep herself in a coma. Why would she do that? My daughter is a fighter. Your tests must be wrong."

"Hyogo-san, I know that this is difficult to accept but my tests have been showing improvements. She should've woke up _weeks_ ago. I'm not sure what we can do at this point to get her out of this comatose state. You and her friends have been talking to her daily, you've been doing all that you can and so have we. I'm not sure what to do. If we had the abilities of the Yamanaka clan from Konoha, things would be much easier but that this just isn't possible. I will do my best to continue to treat her and keep her breathing. Aside from that there isn't much else we…."

Silence… Ren didn't know what happened after that.

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November 26th-13 years old

"… He thinks that he's got most of it figured out. It turns out Gaara, my brother, had witnessed the whole thing. I wish we'd of known that when it happened," Kankuro sighed. Ren wanted to reach out and hug him. She didn't know 100% what she was overhearing, but the pain in his voice was enough for her to wish to act.

"What can you tell me," Naoma asked. Her voice was always louder than Kankuro's, as if she was right beside Ren.

"Miki, the girl that was arrested for trying to kill Ren back in July, had stolen the puppet I had given her. According to Gaara, Ren chased after the girl and the two boys followed. He didn't see everything that happened in the alley. From what the boys said we've gathered that they attacked Ren and Miki broke my puppet in half. Ren somehow was able to move at an incredible speed that even Gaara couldn't follow. He claims he wasn't trying to follow it either though. It's hard to believe. We've sparred so many times but I never saw her move as fast as Gaara claims she did. He says it was like she _teleported_."

There was an audible gasp from Naoma and she hastily asked, "How is that possible?"

"I'm not sure. Even father isn't really certain. He's been looking into it. Apparently there are ninja who train their bodies for speed but we can't seem to find anything that fully explains what happened."

_"__I didn't teleport. I ran really, really fast. My feet kept touching the ground!"_

"I'll let you know as soon as I know more, but I just can't figure it out. ANBU teleport. Ren is not ANBU. Father seems to have taken quite an interest in her. He's been talking with others about having her trained personally by one of his best nin. That's no small feat, he's growing impatient though. It's going to take her forever to get her muscles back where they need to be. She's been asleep for so long I that you can see her ribs…"

Kankuro's voice trailed off and there was nothing left but the insufferable silence. Ren screamed.

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January 30th- 13 years old

"I have something I've got to tell you, Ren," Kankuro's voice sliced through the silence. She could barely remember what he looked like.

_"__Is he still wearing that silly face paint? Is his hood off or on? Does he still smell like aloe and sand?"_

Her thoughts were interrupted by his voice, "Sunagakure's in bad shape, Ren. Our daimyo has cut our budget… again. We keep trying to improve ourselves but this just isn't working. Father's losing it, Gaara's getting out of control, and Temari and I are left hanging in the balance. I don't know what's going to happen, Ren. I need my best friend. Please come back to me."

Ren's heart felt like it had shattered into tiny pieces. Most of her life she had been aware of Suna's struggles. They were a dying village and most of the people were too stubborn to leave it. She felt her breathing increase and the beeps and alarms she had heard several times before started up again. _"I can't deal with that, Kankuro. I won't hurt anyone else. I can't." _Ren returned to the silence.

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March 9th- 13 years old

"How could I possibly do that," Naoma shouted, "How can you ask me to do _that_ to my daughter? Without her I am _nothing._ I don't care how long it takes for her to wake up! I will not give up on her!"

Ren had just had the silence broken and now she wanted it back. She didn't want to listen to this. She didn't want to hear how upset her mother was… but still it continued.

"I won't do it," Naoma sobbed.

"I'm not asking you to decide that right now," the male Ren assumed to be her doctor told Naoma, "Just keep in mind that the longer she's like this, the less likely she is to ever wake up."

Panic filled Ren and those stupid beeps started again. They were giving up on her? She was going to die? Everything faded to silence yet again.

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March 10- 13 years old

"Gaara, keep watch at the door," a gravelly voice penetrated the silence, "Kankuro, stick near the window. This is a private meeting and needs to remain as such."

_"__Who are you…"_

There was silence and then a strange feeling surged through Ren's being, it was like a barrier had been placed around her, perhaps her room?

"Now tell me," a second male voice filled the darkness. His voice had a honeyed tone to it, it wasn't as deep as the first. In fact it was almost feminine sounding. "What about this child has you so involved, boy?"

This man's voice sent chills down her spine. It was beyond creepy.

"It's simple really," the first male said, "She is good friends with my son, Kankuro. The incident that has left her in this state is intriguing to me. Witnesses believe she was able to teleport. I want to know how and see if I can use that to my advantage."

Kankuro interrupted, "She wants nothing more than to protect you, Father. That's what she's been working so hard to do. You can't just _use_ her."

"Silence, boy," The second male all but growled at Kankuro.

_"__What is going on? What's happening? Who are these people?"_

"I do not plan to use her for selfish purposes, Kankuro," there was a hint of irritation in the first man's voice. Ren assumed that this was The Fourth's voice. "I will make her dreams come true when she is ready. With this ability, if it is what we think it is, she would be a very valuable asset. Sunagakure will benefit greatly from it."

Ren felt a strange presence practically envelope her. It was like someone was leaning over her, blanketing her in uneasiness. "What about the girl's eyes? Is she not blind," the unnamed man's voice was much louder now. Perhaps he was who was close to her.

She didn't like his aura. Ren's heart practically stopped. Kankuro was there. Would he tell them?

"We are uncertain," The fourth's voice cut through her thoughts, "Kankuro himself claims to have never asked. Everyone we have questioned who has seen the girl claims she is always wearing dark sunglasses. Her academy instructors do not believe she's blind but cannot explain the whiteness of her eyes."

"Interesting," the unnamed man said lowly, "Very interesting. What is her family name?"

"Hyogo," a flat voice she hadn't heard before said.

"Yes," the fourth said, "Her name is Hyogo. She's taken her mother's name."

"What about her father," the unnamed man said quickly.

"Unknown. We've never asked. It's not necessary for me to know why I've gained a new citizen. Hyogo Ren was born in my village and so she is mine. Where her father is or isn't is not of my concern."

"Perhaps that would be something to investigate, for my own curiosity," The unnamed man said and Ren could almost feel him smirking. She didn't know what it was about this man but he reminded her of a weasel or a snake or maybe a rat; disgusting and untrustworthy.

"We'll worry about that after the chunin exams if you are still interested," The fourth stated flatly.

"Yes. I have an _associate _who may be of assistance. I'll speak with him about her condition. Perhaps he can come up with something to free our little bird from her cage. I will require a sample of her blood however," The unnamed man informed The Fourth.

Ren waited a long time to hear more… but no sounds came. No beeps, no voices, no movement. Ren was overly frustrated. This was her life they were talking about!

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April 17th- 13 years old

"But I can't pay you back for that," Naoma's sweet voice poured into the darkness.

"Consider it an investment for the future," The Fourth Kazekage replied to Ren's mother.

"But why? What do you want with her, Lord Kazekage?"

"When she awakes I wish to begin her training with Isago. He is a very skilled jonin. He's loyal and will be a good sensei for your daughter. He will be able to teach her many things that will aid her in achieving her dreams. I simply plan to make those a reality. I've heard many things about your daughter, I'm eager to see if they are true," The Fourth went quiet and Ren was dumbfounded.

_"__Why is he doing this? How can he trust me? What if I mess up again? I could be the death of him,"_ Ren's thoughts were panicked.

"As her mother I'm uneasy about her choice of career," Naoma admitted, "but if you can help my daughter then I ask that you do so. She wants to serve you personally more than anything in the world. I would never stand in the way of her dreams. I will make payments for this new medicine. I can't expect you to pay for it all. I'm sure it's quite expensive."

The Kazekage laughed. It was a low chuckle and Ren thought sure she was hearing things. "There's no need, I've worked out a deal with the supplier. According to him your daughter should be waking up within the next 6 months. It will help her muscles recover in the meantime. I've already spoken with her doctor and he's given her two of the three doses she'll receive every day already. It shouldn't be long now."

Ren wanted to scream. She was having so many conflicting feelings. Anger with him for not asking what _she_ wanted, not that she could answer. No one could hear her. Sadness for her mother. Hate for herself. Pride because The Fourth wanted her to achieve her dreams. Anxiety, and a lot of it, at the thought of waking up and dealing with the world. _"Am I ready?"_

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May 15th- 13 years old

"How can you expect me to do that, Father," Kankuro's voice erupted.

_"__He's angry…why?"_

"You will go, Kankuro. You will go because you are my son. Gaara and Temari need you to go. The chunin exams are extremely important this time. You know that," The Fourth paused and Ren felt eyes on her even though she could see nothing. "She's not woken up yet. You don't have to sit around here waiting on her. You need to do this for Sunagakure."

Ren was confused. _"Why don't you want to advance, Kankuro? The chunin exams are a great opportunity and I know you can do it. Please don't stay for me. Suna needs more chunin."_

"How can I go and do _that_ while she's here wasting away? I know that I need to do it, but I hate it. The things you're planning… What am I supposed to do if she wakes up and I'm not here?"

"She is not '_wasting away'_, Kankuro. You know very well that the medication she is receiving is improving her condition. What if you don't go and she still does not wake? Then what will you do? You will have failed Suna."

_"__Listen to him, Kankuro, please listen to him."_

"I've spent my whole life doing what you want. 'Keep away from Gaara.' 'Keep an eye on your older sister.' 'Work harder.' When do I get to decide what I want? I'll do this, for Suna and for Ren, but not for you. I want to leave as late as possible and get back as _soon_ as possible," Kankuro's voice reflected his frustration and defeat.

"You are my son and until the day I no longer breathe, you will do as I say. I am your Kazekage and you will do whatever I send you to do. We will use the utmost caution and get through this in one piece. Every action you take will be crucial, do _not_ forget that."

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June 15th- 14 years old

"What do you mean you're _leaving_? I thought you weren't going to the exams. You said you were going to stick around. You waited until her birthday to tell me this," Naoma scoffed.

There was a heavy sigh then Kankuro said, "I'm sorry to tell you this today. I had meant to do it yesterday but I didn't have the chance. I don't have a choice. This is above me; you can thank The Fourth. I don't know what's gotten into him lately but he's distant and won't take no for an answer. I'm stuck going because I'm his son and it's expected. I don't think we'll have any trouble. Gaara's the perfect weapon after all. I'll come by before I leave but I _have_ to do this. I don't want to leave her either," His voice cracked at the end.

Ren's heart was heavy. She wanted him to get through the chunin exams, she wanted him to succeed… but he didn't seem to feel the same way about it. That worried Ren beyond words.

"Just make sure you come back in one piece for her, okay? I'd hate for her to wake up and find out something happened to you. I've heard that sometimes kids don't make it out of the exams. I know you think you're invincible… or rather that Gaara is, but you be careful and take care of yourself. You take care of your siblings too."

"I will, thank you Hyogo-san."

"Please, just call me Naoma."

If there was a reply Ren didn't hear it… This was getting frustrating. She felt so close to consciousness but couldn't quite reach it.

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June 30th- 14 years old

"I'll just be a moment," Kankuro's voice wasn't as loud as it had been in the past. Perhaps he was talking to someone else.

"What is the point of this," a flat voice, void of emotion, asked.

"C'mon, Gaara," the voice Ren had learned to be Termari's said, "He wants to say goodbye to his girlfriend. Someday maybe you'll understand. Let's give him some privacy."

Ren could hear Kankuro growl.

A door closed and there was the sound of footsteps approaching closer to Ren. "Ohayo, Ren-chan," Kankuro's voice was louder now, as if he were right next to her and he seemed fairly calm, "I just wanted to let you know I'll be leaving tomorrow, for the chunin exams. It's funny, I always thought we'd be taking them together. I know Ken and Ryota are still a little rough around the edges but I was so sure it'd be two genin teams from Suna going. Now though, I'm kind of relieved that you're not going. You're going to be here where you're safe.

"I guess that sounds pretty selfish doesn't it? The things _The Fourth_ wants us to do though… It's not that I have a problem with it because it's for Suna but something doesn't feel right. He's keeping it so quiet. I'm not sure what exactly we'll be doing." There was a sigh, "I want you to wake up. I know we aren't exactly affectionate but I could really use a hug today.

"I really miss you. It's almost been 2 years since I've heard your voice. I had a girlfriend, for a little while, but Gaara scared her off. It's funny. You're the only person who's stuck around. Maybe that's because you haven't actually ran into Gaara. He's been here a few times. Not to see you really, I kind of dragged him along today and then another few times he came with _The Fourth_.

"I don't know why but that stoic bastard feels even more cold than usual. It's like he's forgotten why it is he loves Sunagakure. I don't know what to do, Ren. I guess I just have to do whatever he says, listen to Baki, and just be a good _kid_. I hope you wake up when I get back. That would be great. If you wake up before then, don't worry about me too much.

"You just work on getting back to normal. You've missed about two years of sparring and I won't go easy on you. Apparently the medicine they're pumping you with three times a day is supposed to help with your muscles and keep you better nourished. We'll test that."

There was a forced laugh from Kankuro then the **SMACK** of lips leaving skin. Ren felt like hot, which was odd since she hadn't felt anything physical in a long time. "Oh wow, even in a coma you blush," he laughed at her. "I'll see you in a month or less."

And then he was gone. _"I really hope he just kissed my cheek or forehead… I don't want to break his heart… I need to wake up… He's leaving and I need to wake up..." _Ren tried to wish herself awake but it just wasn't working…

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July 16th-14 years old

Ren was aggravated. She was tired of feeling empty and alone. She was sick of being in the darkness. She was over the silence. She needed to wake up. She needed to get through this. So why was she still in the darkness? How times had she tried to wake herself up? What was she afraid of?

The haunting images of that moment in the alleyway flooded her mind—the internal injuries to her fellow comrade, getting locked down in place by another to see her gift destroyed, Sasori's hollow torso starting to break, the terrified gaze of Miki…

_"__What the hell happened?! I was staring right at Sasori and then I was just… in range of Miki… How?!"_

She could hear those horrible alarms going off. She was causing herself in another anxiety attack. If she kept on, she would fall back into the darkness, no telling when she would hear anyone's voices again, if ever again…

_"__No! I can't. I won't… I REFUSE to do nothing… I want OUT!"_

The alarms were pounding against her very psyche at this point. Her mind echoed as the vibrations of the beeping reverberated vigorously. The darkness was starting to pool above her limited consciousness once again. She felt sick, like this was going to be the last dive, or all is lost. And the alarms were not helping in the slightest.

_"__Damn this ringing! I just want to kick that thing out the window... Wait…kick? …. That technique… What... Did I kick off the ground?"_

Ren tried her hardest to replay the moment one more time with as much clarity as she could. Reliving it, she felt the older boy's arms locking her down onto the ground. "Uh…Miki? Something's up with her," he stuttered. _"What was up with me?"_

It took all of her concentration to try and step out of herself to see what he saw. It was like a moment of astral projection if anything. Was it her byakugan? She saw the alleyway: herself, the two boys, and Miki with her Sasori doll. Nothing seemed out of place until the boy's words started to call her attention. There was a small dust cloud near her right leg; or rather, a dust cloud replaced her right leg. She couldn't even see it anymore. It was as if she developed some enhanced variant of restless leg syndrome. She recalled of her teammate, Ken, getting tired of hearing the long lectures back at the academy. His foot was always tapping away at the bottom of his portion of the joint desk. Much like her foot tapping at the ground beneath her in the alley. Tapping that was slowly starting to become in tune with the alarms.

Ren could feel her heart racing. She was so close to an answer, so close to being free from this hell. But could she dare try it again? Using the technique that claimed her into this coma? And ruining the lives of her comrades? Scaring her mother to death? Her closest friend?

_"__Kankuro….Mom… I…I can't… No… staying here is far worse than doing nothing."_

Time began to slow down¬–the alarms were as loud as before but now manageable for her next step. And this one HAD to count. She watched her foot within the dust cloud, counting the steps before she met with Miki."

_10…..9…8…._

The dark pools started to cloud her.

_7…6…5…._

She could barely see her foot now.

_4…3…2…._

Only the alarms remained.

_1….. __**WHIFF**_

The bed groaned from the unknown pressure from Ren's kick. The bolts and screws popped out of alignment as Ren came crashing down onto the hard floor past her mattress and metal fixings. The light soaked into Ren's opening eyes causing her to squint. It was blinding. "I did it," she whispered hoarsely, "I did it."

She heard several footsteps running towards her room and she heard a woman shout, "What the hell?"

Ren didn't care. She was smiling… and she was awake... And still annoyed by the ongoing alarms... With a frustrated kick, she forced the laud monitors right out the window; and laughed as the sunlight greeted her blissful grin.

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**A/N:**This is not how comas work in the real world. This was for entertainment purposes only.

I would like to say a thank you to those of you who review my story. Your support means so much! I also want to thank RaRa, again, for being such a good friend and helping me work things out as they should be. He's the best!

I am sorry that Gaara wasn't really involved in this chapter. I do plan on having him in the next one... this chapter was a last minute decision. I promise GaaRen will happen eventually... but it's going to take time.

Thank you all for your support! I love you all!


	5. Ch 4: Sand and Wind

A/N: So... this is a pretty big chapter! I hope it makes up for missing last Tuesday's update. I want to thank all of you who favorite and follow this story! You guys warm my heart and bring a smile to my face! I'd love to hear reviews. Tell me if I'm doing okay. It's a little unnerving not hearing anything. Next Tuesday I should post on schedule since I've already got it all plotted out. I'll warn you now Chapters 5 and 6 are 'combined' sort of. I'll explain it better next chapter. For now, Read, Enjoy, Maybe leave a review? I love you guys so much! My inspirations! *Huggles you all*

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Chapter Four:

Ren switched hospital rooms twice after she woke up. This one was still as white as the ones before it but it felt more alive. Her ex-teammates had brought her desert lilies and sweet cactus water. The lilies littered the room while the water was gone within 30 minutes. Ken and Ryota had been so thrilled when they were finally allowed to see her that they had actually hugged her.

Their visits were always short after the first; they needed to train and that meant Ren was left alone a lot. She had been replaced on their team by a girl named Misaki so they didn't have very much time for her. Her mother visited as frequently as she could but she was still a very busy woman. Most of Ren's time was spent alone with the insufferable beeps of the machines that tracked her heart rate.

Ren talked very little but it hadn't seemed to bother Ken and Ryota, they were just so happy she was awake that they didn't seem to notice. Her mother noticed and after a week of it Naoma finally said something. "Ren, darling, why won't you talk to anyone? You answer questions but you don't start a conversation or keep it going. Are you okay? I'm worried about you."

Ren stared at her mother, her pale orbs seemed almost lifeless even though she was alive and well. She had been restless since she awoke and so the girl shifted within the bed. She wanted to be up and moving. Anything would be better than sitting in bed any longer. She broke the gaze she had had with her mother and stared at the wall in front of her.

Naoma sighed softly. "Ren," Naoma said quietly, scooting herself forward in the chair to Ren's left, "Please talk to me, baby. I just want to help you."

Ren inhaled a deep breath of air and blinked her now glossy eyes several times, trying to fight back the tears. How could she tell her mother how guilty she felt for everything? How could she express how sorry she was for how badly she had hurt her comrades? How could she express how devastated she felt for the pain she had caused her mother and her friends? Ren knew an 'I'm sorry' just wouldn't be enough.

"Well," Naoma said as she stood and wrapped her arms around her daughter, "I love you and I'm here for you. I can't help you through this if you don't talk to me." Ren rested her head against her mother's shoulder and hugged her back, careful of all the wires and tubes attached to her right arm. "It'll be okay," Naoma reassured her as she pet her now much longer hair, "We'll get through this. You and me. This is just one more bump in the road."

"I've hurt so many people, kaasan," Ren told her as she sniffled back tears, "Nothing I say can change it. Nothing I do will make this better. We can't fix this one, kaasan." The tears fell after that and they didn't stop until Ren was sure she had cried every tear possible. "I can't take any of it back," She whimpered.

Naoma had been silent and allowed her daughter to soak her shirt. Naoma's heart broke for her daughter and she wasn't sure what she could do to help her. "Apologizing will go a long way, Ren," Naoma told her gently, "It may not fix everything but it will make things better. When the Kazekage returns he will be wanting to know what happened, exactly what happened. You'll have to talk to him and when you do that would be a good time to apologize to him _and_ to thank him for the care he's made sure you had. Words can't fix everything, you're right, but it's a start."

Ren nodded and released her mother before wiping her eyes on the long sleeve of the white gown she wore. "I will kaasan," Ren muttered.

"Would you like me to brush your hair," Naoma asked her. Ren nodded, this was a routine they had. Naoma picked up the hairbrush on the end table next to the bed and began raking it gently through Ren's now hip length hair. "Maybe when I'm done you'd like to go see yourself," Naoma's calm voice was laced with hope.

Ren still had no idea what she looked like, she had requested that the mirror in her bathroom be covered and she didn't want to see herself. She feared that she'd see a monster staring back at her. Sure Ren wanted to move around but a trip to the mirror wasn't something that she wanted. She shook her head, declining her mother's request.

"Ren, please," Naoma pleaded, "You need to be able to face yourself."

The disappointment in her mother's voice was heartbreaking. Ren didn't know if she could stand seeing herself but she was so tired of hurting her mother. She reluctantly nodded, hoping that she could start making things up to her mother. She would do her best to do anything her mother asked.

She reluctantly swung her legs over the edge of her bed. The medicine she had been receiving had worked miracles for her muscles and she was able to get to her feet without too much difficulty. Her mother still supported her as she walked but with each day Ren grew stronger and steadier on her feet.

Her mother smoothly unplugged the wheeled machine that Ren was constantly hooked up to. Namoa moved to Ren's side and took her hand, helping her to her feet. Naoma guided Ren to the bathroom, cautiously wheeling the machine with them.

When Naoma was sure that Ren was steady on her own she reached up to uncover the mirror. Ren closed her eyes tight and stood in front of the now exposed mirror with her hands on the sink for several seconds. She took deep breaths and opened them. The sight she saw was so shocking that she gasped.

Her face had matured a lot in the past 2 years. It had lost most of its roundness and appeared more heart shaped. She still had a slightly childish appearance but that seemed to be fading fairly quickly. She noticed how pale she was, she had always had skin like porcelain despite living in the desert but this was a sickly white coloration.

She exhaled slowly, not realizing she had even been holding her breath. She had dark bags under her pale eyes. They lacked their normal shine, the silver tint was practically non-existent. She still had thin lips but they actually seemed to fit her face now, they had gotten a little fuller.

Ren wasn't able to look away from her reflection, even after her mother put a hand on her shoulder. "Do you see how beautiful you've become," Naoma asked her quietly, as if speaking any louder would shatter Ren's whole world.

Ren reached up with her left hand and touched her cheek, then button-like nose, then her very chapped lips. She could scarcely believe the girl she was staring at was her. Her hair was pretty much the same as ever, just much longer.

Her body was far different. She was taller, at least by 4 inches. She was also thin, too thin. Her hips barely gave her much of a figure and her chest had grown a lot, much to her distress. She wondered if the other girls her age would be as endowed. She really hoped so.

She suddenly felt so exposed in that white hospital gown without any bindings on. She would have blushed, if her mother hadn't been standing there with her hand on her shoulder. Kankuro had seen her like this. Ryota and Ken had seen her this way too. She felt embarrassed and horrified.

The thought of Kankuro sent her into a helpless depression. She had hoped to see him by now but there had been no word. He was still at the chunin exams, to the best of her knowledge. Her mother seemed to pick up on her sadness because she pulled Ren into a tight hug. "Don't worry, it's a lot to take in but you'll get used to your body," Naoma told her gently.

"I-it's not that, kaasan," Ren said with a sigh, "I just miss Kankuro. I was hoping he'd be back by now but he's not. I hope he's alright."

Naoma pulled away from Ren and placed her hands on Ren's shoulders, holding her at arm's length so that their eyes could meet. Naoma's face reflected feeling of guilt. "I almost forgot," Naoma said with a grin, "I got a message this morning. Apparently there is a one month grace period between the second and third part of the exams. He didn't say much but he says he should be back in about 2 weeks, give or take."

Ren could only nod at first. The idea of not seeing him for 2 more weeks was saddening. She would be going home in a few days, she wondered if he'd be able to find her. "I think when I get to go home, I want to start training at the training grounds again," Ren said quietly, so softly that her mother almost missed it.

"I don't think that's a good idea yet," her mother said gently, "It's going to take time before you can do the things you used to be able to. You need to take things slowly."

Ren sighed heavily. She couldn't argue with her mother but decided she'd go when her mother was at work. She _had_ to get stronger. The Fourth Kazekage had plans for her. She wanted to be able to spar with Kankuro when he got back, like old times. She had plans of her own and had been down for two years, she couldn't' afford to be sitting at home doing nothing.

"Ren," her mother said suspiciously as she raised her right eyebrow, clearly aware of her daughters thinking. "Start out doing workouts at home. We'll see how you do. Promise me that you won't go to the training grounds. You need to give your body time. It's been resting for so long. Even with that medicine it will take time."

Ren nodded, now that she had promised she couldn't break it. "Okay," Ren said defeated, "I promise."

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Ren kept her promise for three weeks before her mom finally agreed to let her go to the training grounds. So that's where Ren stood. She was dressed in her gear and was running laps around it. She was getting faster, much faster. She made a note to personally go to the Kazekage and thank him when he returned from Konohagakure, her muscles were working wonderfully considering her body had been unused for 2 years.

Ren was on her fourth lap when she spotted a tall guy wearing all black. Her heart skipped a beat and she slowed to a walk. "Is that," she asked herself quietly while she tried to steady her breathing, "It can't be." Her heart was racing as she walked over to the person and tapped on his shoulder.

When he turned she gasped. "K-Kankuro," she asked, he didn't look like he had 2 years ago. He was still wearing that silly purple face paint but his face had thinned and matured considerably. His dark eyes lit up when he saw her. Her heart skipped a beat and she pulled off her dark sunglasses.

Before either of them knew it she was locked into his embrace. "Ren-chan," he said, his voice was now a little husky and deeper. "I'm so glad you're alright. Your mom said I could find you here," He said, his voice was muffled as he pressed his cheek against the top of her head, getting purple paint in it.

Tears formed in Ren's eyes and she croaked out, "I've missed you so much!" She was now crying and buried her face into his chest. He had at least 5 inches on her now. "How did the chunin exams go? You weren't hurt were you?" She took a step back, breaking their hug mostly but he kept his hands on her waist. She ignored the fact that she was openly crying in front of him.

She looked him over and could see no injuries, none physical anyway, but his facial expression showed pain and remorse. "What happened," She asked him quietly.

"So many things, Ren, so many things," He mumbled. She was about to say something but he cut her off. "The fourth betrayed Konohagakure. The Third Hokage is dead. We attacked during the tournament and all was going fairly to plan, except that Gaara tried releasing Shukaku too early. He was actually _defeated_. Then he apologized to Temari and me. He _apologized_, Ren."

Ren gasped and her brows furrowed. Gaara was defeated and he apologized? The world was ending. She stared into his eyes, searching for more of an explanation. She found very little other than sadness and regret.

"Father is dead. Apparently he was conspiring with Orochimaru to destroy the Leaf. It was an attempt to improve our lives here but Orochimaru killed him, stole his face, and acted as him. We messed up bad Ren," Kankuro's voice sounded strained.

Instead of being angry she simply hugged him again. What would she do now that Rasa, The Fourth Kazekage was dead? Her whole life plan revolved around him. Her mind was everywhere. She couldn't understand why Rasa would have decided to team up with Orochimaru in the first place. "What would a war with Konoha bring to us? Why would The Fourth do that? I-I don't understand, Kankuro."

"It's a lot to take in, especially if you weren't there. It was supposed to be a chance to improve our village. With Konoha out of the way we'd get more missions here. It all went to hell. Baki and the elder council are trying to fix things with Konoha but who knows how that will go. We may be involved in another war. Orochimaru has messed everything up. If Konohagakure forgives us it will be a miracle," he muttered.

Ren had never imagined any of this would happen. She could've been involved in that chaos, if she hadn't been in a coma. She was still crying, now those tears were not from happiness, they were from sorrow. "Kankuro," she said, her words muffled slightly by his chest, "I'm so sorry about Lord Kazekage, b-but I'm so glad you're okay! E-everything will work out. Konoha will understand, I'm sure they will." Her voice sounded far more convincing than she felt despite her nervous stuttering.

"I hope you're right, Ren. I really hope you're right," he said as he brushed his fingers through her hair, pulling parts of it free from its ribbon. She would have been mad at him for it under different circumstances but she couldn't be, not today. Today he could get face paint in her hair and mess it up any way he wanted.

The two of them stayed there, hugging while she cried with her eyes closed for who knows how long. She was so relieved to see him that she didn't care as much as she should have that the Fourth was dead. She didn't care yet that there may be a war. All that mattered at that moment was that Kankuro was there, playing with her hair with his face pressed against the top of her head.

Someone cleared their throat and Ren's eyes flew open, she hadn't even realized she had closed them against the darkness of his full body suit. She jumped back from Kankuro and head-butted his nose accidently. "Ah," he shouted as soon as her head connected with his nose. He looked at her horrified and she felt down right terrible.

"I'm so sorry," She whispered and watched him pinch his nose. It wasn't even bleeding. She almost wanted to smack him for being over dramatic. Seriously, she only tapped him.

She wiped her eyes and turned to see Gaara and Temari standing a few yards away. "Don't let us interrupt," Temari said with a smirk. Ren studied the girl while Kankuro mumbled curse words. She would apologize to him again later, when they weren't being watched.

She noticed how pretty Temari had become. She wore her blonde hair in four pigtails and her appearance matched her voice, confident. Temari wore her Sunagakure headband around her neck and a mesh armor top underneath a light-lavender, off-the-shoulder top that reached her half-way down thighs. She wore a red sash at her waist and dark blue shorts with mesh armor on her legs. Temari's teal eyes studied Ren and Kankuro.

Gaara was a little short for his age, 12. He had unruly crimson hair that stuck up all over the place, much like his older brother's (when Kankuro wasn't wearing his hood). His skin was fair and he had a kanji for "love" carved into the left side of his forehead. He didn't have eyebrows and he had dark rings around his blue-green pupil-less eyes that reminded Ren of a tanuki.

His face was rounded, still slightly childish. He wore a black full body suit with a white sash over his right shoulder. He had his signature gourd strapped to his back and the strap housed his Sand headband. Overall, for being two years younger, he was quite handsome in a 'he could kill me in 2 seconds' kind of way.

"Did you need something Temari," Kankuro asked while he stuffed his hands into his pockets. His sore nose was clearly forgotten. Ren stole a glance at him and he was scowling. She wondered if it was because they thought she was his girlfriend or because they interrupted.

"Yes, I need you to come with me. Gaara will look after your girlfriend while you're away," Temari cooed. She smirked and Ren blushed bright red. Kankuro growled and Temari threw her hands up and laughed. "I was kidding, I know, she's your _best friend_."

Kankuro was angry and only mumbled a "See you later," Ren's way before he walked off with Temari. He didn't look back as he walked off, much to Ren's despair.

Ren was really nervous. She didn't really want to be left alone with Gaara. He was terrifying. He could easily kill her. If she said or did one thing wrong, it'd be 'bye-bye Ren'. She took a deep breath and her pale eyes met his blue-green ones. "I see that you are not blind then," Gaara said tonelessly.

"A-ano," she said meekly, "No, I'm not blind."

"Your eyes remind me of a few of the leaf ninja I saw at the exams."

Ren at first said nothing but she was sure her face showed her shock. She didn't want to have this talk with him. She quickly reached down and grabbed the black sunglasses that she had placed in her belt before she hugged Kankuro. "W-well, I wouldn't know anything about them," She said as she slipped the glasses on.

Gaara said nothing. His silence was unnerving. She took a deep breath and crossed her arms, feeling strangely defensive. She really didn't want to hear anything about her father's family. The less she knew the better. "Wh-what is it that you want f-from me, Gaara-san," she asked bluntly. She now wasn't meeting his gaze, not that he could see that. She was too nervous to make any eye contact.

"I want to speak with you about what you did," his voice was void of emotion and Ren's breath hitched in her throat as she pulled at the hem of her shirt. "It is intriguing to me that you were able to spill so much blood. In the preliminary rounds of the exam I fought an opponent who was fast enough to get past my defenses. I believe you were able to move even faster than he did. How is that?"

Ren did not want to be having this conversation. She had been hoping it'd never come up. She had known better, of course, but she had still hoped. She looked up to meet his gaze, knowing this to be the most honest way to prove that you are serious, even if someone can't see your eyes. "I," Ren squeaked but caught herself. She did notice the twitching that occurred to Garra's left eye. He found the squeak annoying, frankly so did Ren. He crossed his arms in front of his chest.

Ren uncrossed her arms and let them dangle awkwardly at her sides. She cleared her throat and tried again, her fingers fidgeting with the hem of her shirt, "I don't really know. I just know that I wanted to get m-my puppet back so badly. Th-then I was moving and i-in Miki's face. I remember closing the 10 step gap in an instant. I-it was like my body had a mind of its own. I haven't been able to repeat it. I'm not sure how I even managed to do it then," Ren's voice was panicky and a drop of sweat dropped down the right side of her face.

She didn't want to displease him, he may very well kill her for that. She also didn't want to tell him about the way she had woke up from her coma. He didn't need to know that her chakra focused to her feet connected with the air and pushed her into the bed with such force that she broke it. That was something she could replicate, but it hurt the muscles in her legs too much to. She would have to work on it.

"That is understandable," Gaara's monotone voice cut through her thoughts. It was deep for a 12 year old and sent small shivers down her spine. "I will train you so that you can do that technique again. The boy I fought, Rock Lee, wore weights on his legs to train. We will start doing the same to you once your muscles have recovered."

The way Gaara had said it gave Ren the impression she wouldn't have a choice. Even though she felt that way she still nodded in agreement. If she could do that technique at will, she could control it. If she could control it then she wouldn't be accidently attempting homicide on her comrades ever again. "Very well," she said as her gaze returned to the ground.

Gaara took three steps forward and she flinched while taking a step backwards. Gaara stopped and she braced herself for some sort of sand attack. "Do you fear me," He asked her in that emotionless voice of his.

_"__Of course I fear you! You're a homicidal weapon of destruction," _she thought but did not say out loud. She took a deep breath and looked up. Gaara's expression was as stoic as ever. "I just don't know you," She said quietly. She wouldn't admit to him that she feared him, not to him. She hoped someday she wouldn't but even Kankuro and Temari seemed to fear Gaara.

"You can ask me anything," Gaara told her as he walked up to her. He stopped when he was about arm's length from her. Ren's eyes remained on him as he moved.

Ren swallowed hard. _"Is he serious,"_ she asked herself, _"What do you want with me?"_ She took another deep breath and sweetly asked him, "What is your favorite color?" She nearly smiled when she watched his eyes widen ever so slightly. She felt a small sense of victory. She decided at that moment to go out of her way to throw him off as many times as possible.

"Blue," he stated, "Now show me your taijutsu." He motioned for her to get into a fighting stance. Apparently the time for getting to know him was done, for now. She found herself hoping he'd ask her again.

Ren spread her feet and lowered herself while pulling her fists up in front of her face. She waited a few seconds to see if he would change his stance but he didn't. She kept her body loose and threw several punches towards his chest, followed by several kicks towards his legs, arms, and torso; all of her attempts were done was quickly as she could and blocked by sand.

"You are too slow," Gaara practically grumbled, "Try harder."

Ren huffed air and threw several more punches. None of it connected with Gaara, only the sand that flowed from his gourd. She was frustrated at herself. She didn't know if before her coma she could move fast enough to get past that sand, but right now she just couldn't and that was beyond upsetting.

"That's enough for now," Gaara told her after she had punched and kicked her way to sweating, panting, and aching under the hot Suna sun.

Ren leaned over and placed her hands on her knees to support herself. Her whole body ached and her muscles felt like they were on fire. _"This isn't where I need to be,"_ she thought, _"I need to get better than this."_ She stood herself up straight even though it hurt, feeling Gaara's eyes on her the whole time. She grabbed the water bottle she had with her bag. She took several long drinks before she had finally had enough.

"Let me guess. You think I'm pathetic. You don't see how I could possibly be the girl who _intrigued_ you two years ago. Just say whatever it is you're thinking. I can promise you, you aren't thinking anything that I haven't already thought about myself," Ren's voice cracked at the end and she stared at the ground.

"I wasn't thinking any of that," He said flatly, "I was merely observing you."

A faint blush crept up to Ren's pale cheeks. She didn't know why but the fact he watched her was nerve wracking. "T-tell me about this guy you fought, Rock Lee," she requested. She _had_ to change the subject.

"When he first attacked me his movements were fast but he could not penetrate my sand. I almost had him pinned beneath my sand but he flipped away and onto a statue. He removed the heavy leg weights he was wearing and his speed tripled at least. He moved so fast that it was like he was teleporting, much like I saw you do. He actually was able to kick me, he drew blood. He moved too fast for my eyes to follow his movements. After he was unable to do further damage because of my sand armor he used a forbidden move. It was called "Primary Lotus" and I was able to replace myself with a sand clone.

"Afterwards Shukaku awakened within me. His power was immense and I was able to hit him with wave upon wave of sand. No matter how many times I hit him, he continued to get up. He would not give up and beg for mercy. After quite a while he began dodging my attacks again, as if something had awakened inside him as well. Even his appearance changed. His skin turned red and his chakra created a great deal of force. Even the arena was having difficulty withstanding his chakra.

"He was faster and kicked hard enough that I was in the air before I knew what had happened. He kicked me over and over again, cracking away my armor. I was forced to turn my gourd to sand to cushion my fall when he executed the Hidden Lotus. I used my sand and preformed Sand Coffin but he survived. The only thing I could grab was his left arm and leg with it. Before I could attack again his sensei interfered.

"I did not understand why he saved Rock Lee. When I asked he told me, 'because he's my student and also because he's precious to me.' I was frustrated and did not understand. I had started to walk away but Lee got back on his feet. He should have been dead, yet he stood ready to fight more. His sensei attempted to talk sense into him but then the man started crying. The boy was unconscious on his feet," Gaara told her. His voice had actually indicated some sort of feeling, but Ren did not know what.

She was silent for a long time. Someone was able to move like she had. Someone was able to survive attacks from Gaara. She stood up straight and looked him in his eyes from behind her dark glasses. "I would like to train with this Rock Lee," she said in a confident tone. Inside she was a wreck so she was pleased when her voice did not betray her.

"That is not possible. The medical ninja say he will never fight again," Gaara's voice was once more void of emotion.

Ren wondered if he cared. _"Gaara doesn't care, he doesn't even feel. Does he?" _Ren thought about his words. She would have loved to have seen that fight, to have been able to meet this Rock Lee. "Would it be possible for me to write to him then? Maybe he could give me tips," her voice was quieter and losing its confidence by the second.

"Perhaps," Gaara said then turned and started walking away, "Meet me back here tomorrow at 6 am." Sand swirled around him and then he was gone.

Ren did not know what to think. She was now going to be training with Gaara? What about Kankuro? She wanted to train with him. She desperately wanted things to go back to the way they were.

XXXXXXXX

Ren had spent 2 weeks training with Gaara. Her muscles screamed at her as she carried two bags of groceries, at her mother's request. She was practically dragging her feet as she slowly progressed down the streets. She was getting odd looks from the people she passed and could hear muffled whispers.

She would never get used to that. She wished people would forget. A few people had actually backed away from her. She caught herself wondering if this was how Gaara felt, if so she felt bad for him. It was just a reminder that she had done something monstrous.

Ren was looking straight ahead when off to the left she saw one of the very people she had crippled. She couldn't remember his name, she felt horrible for that. Ren walked up to him nervously and swallowed hard. Their eyes locked and he took a step back, bumping against a wall.

"Please don't run," Ren requested quietly, "I just want to apologize. I know that my words won't get you your arm back or make anything better, but I didn't mean to do it. I am so sorry that I hurt you and I'm glad that you're okay."

Ren knew now that the boy's arm had been ripped from his body and had actually still been clutched to her. The thought alone was gruesome. She had ruined his ninja career before it even truly began.

The boy stared at her, his eyes reflected his fear and he was sweating bullets. He seemed to be frozen in place. Ren wanted to cry. She hadn't been expecting forgiveness, but did he have to look at her like she was a monster? She bowed to him, "Again, I'm sorry. I must take my leave now. If there is anything that I can do to make it up to you, within reason, please let me know."

Ren didn't wait for a response and was careful to keep her face stoic the whole time. She walked away and once she was out of his sight her shoulders slumped down slightly. She didn't know what she had been expecting, of course she was a monster. She made a note to ask her mother not to send her shopping again, not until people forgot.

She was almost home when someone tapped on her shoulder. She turned around to see a familiar blonde with four pigtails. "T-Temari-san," she said the girl's name quietly. She hadn't been expecting her.

"Hey there, Short-stuff, you aren't looking so good," Temari's honeyed voice cooed. Ren flinched at the nickname. "Is everything alright? Gaara's not been saying much about your training. Kankuro isn't talking about you at all. What's up?"

Ren sighed internally but kept her expression emotionless. "Everything's fine. I wanted to thank you, Temari-san, for saving my life. Miki could have killed me if you had not been there. I owe you my life," Ren's voice was even. Perhaps she had been spending too much time with Gaara, not that he spoke to her much.

"Oh, don't mention it. I was just doing what was right. It's cowardly to take out an opponent who can't defend herself. I mean, I know that we do that sometimes, but still. Kankuro would've been real upset if you died."

"I don't think I would have been too pleased if I died either," Ren said as she forced a small smile.

"You deflected my mentioning of Kankuro."

"I know. I'm not really sure what's going on. I haven't seen him in a while."

"Wonder if it has to do with that new girlfriend of his. She's bad news but he won't listen to me. Gaara doesn't understand emotions so he's no help. It's either that or his training. He probably says it's his training." Temari's eyes glanced down to the bags in Ren's hands before she threw in, "I guess I'd better let you get home. Don't be a stranger, k?"

Ren nodded, bowed, and then walked away fast, very fast. She couldn't get away fast enough. She didn't know how she felt about Kankuro having a girlfriend. For so long it had just been the two of them. She didn't have any romantic feelings for him so what was up with the tightness in her chest? She nearly dropped a bag, her palms were sweating so much.

XXXXXXXX

3 weeks of training with Gaara and Ren felt like she was going to drop dead. He worked her hard, as the letter from Rock Lee had instructed. Ren had never hated a single person in her whole life but she currently hated Rock Lee. Well, that was until the day when she actually got past Gaara's sand. She hadn't been able to hit him but she still had beat the sand.

A sense of victory filled Ren and in an instant her hate turned to love for her long distance sensei. That moment was short lived when Gaara flung a stream of sand into Ren's side. She blocked most of it with her arms but still ended up flat on her back. She was exhausted, they had been at it for hours. Ren couldn't move a muscle at that moment.

Today's training had been just like every other session of the past 23 days, silent. Gaara said nothing and she didn't feel like upsetting him. Kankuro had always said that failure and weakness pissed Gaara off but she didn't see that; she was failing pretty hard. She was afraid she was falling into a false sense of security.

Ren realized she must have laid on the ground catching her breath too long when Gaara's hand extended to her. She didn't want to reach up and take his hand, she wanted to just lay there against the scorching hot sand. With a stifled sigh she reached up and grabbed his extended hand and he effortlessly yanked her up to her feet as if she weighed nothing, probably because she was still underweight. The force of him pulling her up almost had her against his chest, had she not caught herself. At that moment it probably looked much more 'romantic' than it really was; their hands were connected and they were standing close together.

Ren's fortune would prove to be filled with bad luck because at that moment Kankuro had been walking up. She hadn't seen him in the whole three weeks she had been training with Gaara. Kankuro had said he was too busy and had to get better with Black Ant. He didn't have time to train with her. That hurt Ren's heart more than she cared to admit.

Kankuro's face reflected his horror, seeing his little brother holding his best friend's hand while their bodies almost touched. He wasn't sure what to do so he turned around and stormed off angry. He couldn't believe Gaara. Was he seriously making a move on his best friend? Since when did Gaara have an interest in girls anyway?

Ren looked at Gaara for permission to chase Kankuro but his face showed no emotion. She hesitated. She really didn't want to piss Gaara off. "I'll be right back," She told him and bowed lowly. Yes, 14 year old Hyogo Ren bowed to 12 year old Gaara as if he were her master. Then she ran after Kankuro.

She followed him, weaving in and out of people. She almost lost him twice before he stopped. He was talking to a pretty blonde with blue eyes. She seemed to be a few years older than him, judging by her endowment and the way she dressed. She was wearing a pink mid-thigh skirt and a green low-cut top that showed more cleavage than a teenage girl should show. Ren couldn't help but notice how big her breasts were.

Ren raised her hand to wave and was about to call out to him but before she had the chance she watched him lean down and kiss the blonde on her lips. She watched with her mouth hanging open as he continued to kiss her. Ren couldn't be sure but she thought there may have been some tongue included in it. Something inside Ren shattered. She felt like her heart would stop beating. She couldn't breathe. Her left cheek was wet when she reached her hand up to touch it. She was crying. It was one thing to know he had a girlfriend, another to see it.

She turned and ran back through the crowd but nothing registered until she saw the training grounds. She quickly wiped her eyes on her rusty-brown sleeve and took a few deep breaths to calm herself. She tried to push the thought of Kankuro kissing the blonde from her mind. She rearranged her facial expression to seem passive. Ren walked up to Gaara as if nothing was wrong and asked, "Ready to continue?" She had done a perfect job of seeming indifferent but her voice betrayed her. It was practically a squeak.

If Gaara noticed he said nothing. "300 push-ups," He said flatly.

Ren did 300 push-ups, 300 sit-ups, 500 squats, 400 kicks, and so on. She pushed her body until she couldn't move. Gaara's sand literally had to carry her home. Her mother was distressed when Gaara knocked on her door and handed her semi-conscious daughter to her. To Ren it had been worth it, the physical pain was far easier to deal with than the pain from Kankuro. She cried herself to sleep that night.

XXXXXXXX

Ren had trained with Gaara for a total of two months. She still didn't know anything about him other than that his favorite color was blue. She had been waiting, hoping he'd ask her if she fears him, but the question never came. In truth Ren wasn't sure if she did fear him anymore or not. He had never caused her pain, aside from training until she dropped and sparring. He wasn't kind but he wasn't mean either.

Ren was doing warm-up stretches when a honeyed feminine voice called out to her, "Hey there Short-Stuff." Ren was annoyed at the nickname and knew immediately it was Temari. She had stopped by a few times to speak with Garra over the past two months, aside from the time she ran into her on her way home. She always called her Short-Stuff. Ren knew the name suited her well but she hated it. She was short, especially compared to tall boys like Kankuro and Ken.

"Good morning, Temari-san," Ren said as she turned around with a small smile on her lips that did not reach her pale eyes. Ren had been expecting to see Gaara with her but he was nowhere in sight. Her brow furrowed and she shifted her weight to her right leg and let her arms dangle at her sides. "Where's Gaara-san," she asked weakly, "We are supposed to train today."

Temari smirked at Ren and placed her left hand on her hip. Temari stated, "Gaara's busy today so I'll be taking over. Forget all that speed stuff for today. Kankuro says you are able to use wind release. I'd like to see what you've got." Temari's smug smirk did not fade as she pulled her giant fan from her back.

Ren swallowed hard, suddenly her two smaller fans seemed like nothing. She hadn't really practiced anything wind release in a long time; saying she was nervous was an understatement. She took a deep breath to calm herself, her emotions had to remain within check for her to complete any jutsu. The only jutsu she knew was one she knew all too well that Temari knew too. Wind against wind, this was not a spar she was looking forward to.

Ren untied the two fans that resided on the loops of her pants. Temari spread open her fan, revealing only one of the three purple dots that resided upon its white fabric. Ren held a fan in each hand and flipped them open. Her fans were more eccentric. One was black with white lines that and the other was white with black lines. The lines created images of desert owls.

Both girls stood up straight, with wind release there was no real need to be up close and personal with your opponent unless you made a wind sword. Ren took a deep, cleansing breath and focused her chakra to her fans. Small whirls of wind began to form at her palms, dancing around the sturdy fabric of the fans. She was filled with a sense of familiarity, she hadn't forgotten and her element was still close to her. Ren inhaled once more as she began to side step to the left, Temari mirrored her as if they were doing a graceful dance.

Ren twirled her body sideways as she exhaled, leading with her left leg as she hurled two sharp gusts of wind towards Temari. Temari swung her fan out in front of her and their blades of wind collided, adding in their own graceful dance before both attacks dispersed. Ren's heart raced as she watched the spectacle.

The two went about like that for a short time before Temari let out a frustrated groan. "C'mon Short-Stuff, I don't have all day. You aren't even trying to hit me."

Ren nodded. It was true, she had been restraining herself. She was afraid, something she really needed to get over. She took another deep breath, because almost all jutsu relied on one's breathing, and crossed her arms in front of her chest. She jumped back and pulled her arms apart calling out, "Wind Release: Wind Cutter Technique," sending blades of wind at Temari.

Temari used her fan to block most of them but some of the sharp gusts managed to tear her clothes. It was like Temari didn't even try. Ren frowned and increased the distance between them by backing away, far away. Their eyes met and Ren felt like she saw pity there. Ren did _not_ want pity nor did she need it.

Ren huffed air through her nose roughly. She was frustrated. She knew she could do better. Ren ran towards her opponent quickly, her speed truly had increased considerably. She was almost within range for another assault when Ren began focusing chakra to her feet. One step and she pushed herself up into the air. She took another step and her foot pressed up off the air and higher into it. With the third and final step she flung her body forward towards the ground and slashed her fans in front of her body, sending blades of wind to rain upon Temari.

Ren had watched Temari's face, her eyes were wide and her mouth was slightly open. She hadn't expected Ren to be able to jump on air, Ren was still in awe that she could do it. Her legs were aching. The amount of chakra it took was intense. The sight had left Temari unprepared and she was barely able to deflect the blades with a gust of wind of her own.

Ren landed on her feet. The pain was intense as her knees buckled, forcing her to drop her fans into the sand and throw her hands out to catch herself. She gasped as the pain shot throughout her body. It felt like her whole lower body was hammered into her upper body. She winced slightly and heard Temari approaching her. Ren couldn't open her eyes due to the pain, not that Temari could see her eyes because of her sunglasses.

"How the hell did you do that," Temari asked as she hovered over Ren. Ren grunted, she couldn't talk right now. "That was incredible! You've got to teach me to do that!"

Ren did not share Temari's enthusiasm. It had taken Ren this long to figure out how to do it. 'Geppo' she had decided to call it. She was able to walk on the air but it was painful. She forced her eyes open and looked at Temari's face. She was genuinely smiling. How could Ren say no? "T-Temari-san," Ren stuttered out through the wracking pain in her limbs, "It's not easy and it," She paused for a second, "it hurts. It puts a lot of strain on your legs and you have to be able to control your chakra really well."

Temari tilted her head to the side slightly but her smile didn't fade, she obviously wasn't _too_ confused. "So what? Could you imagine how awesome I'd be if I could walk on air? I could get such an advantage on targets."

Ren's facial features were neutral but internally she was irritated. She was trying to explain things to Temari and she barely seemed to be listening. Ren rocked back and flopped down onto her butt in the sand. "It's not that simple," Ren said before she nervously bit her lip. She was trying to think of how to word what she wanted to say. "Yes I was able to walk on air but that also leaves me with limited options. There's no trees to take kunai for me. I can't just step to the side. It really hurts to do it, Temari. I was too high up too, and now I feel like my arms and legs are going to fall off. I didn't break anything but I could have."

Temari sat in the sand in front of Ren with her legs tucked under her body and placed her fan on the ground between them, right on top of Ren's own fans. "I understand all that," Temari muttered impatiently. She tapped her fingers against her fan. "I want you to teach it to me anyway."

Ren felt like this was a waste of time. She would end up having to teach Temari now that she had seen her do it, Ren knew that. She just hoped she'd be able to buy some time. With a soft sigh Ren's posture slacked and she slouched forward. "Let me get to where I understand it first," Ren said lowly, "I'll teach you when I know how. Right now I'm just learning it myself."

Temari opened and closed her mouth while she leaned forward. She was clearly thinking about arguing. Ren kept her face stoic when Temari opened her mouth again. "Fine, but you will teach it to me," She finally stated. There was clearly no room for arguments, which Ren already knew. "We'll call it quits for today. Gaara should be free to train with you tomorrow."

Ren almost smiled but didn't, she wanted to remain indifferent. She didn't _like_ training with Gaara but she didn't hate it either. He was quiet and she could appreciate that. Ren stretched her arms and legs out and nearly groaned as the muscles in her legs protested. She looked at Temari who wasn't making any moves to get up. She was waiting on something. Ren tilted her head to the side in confusion. "What is it Temari-san," she asked.

"Oh, nothing really. I was just wondering what happened with you and Kankuro," Temari responded with a smirk.

"Oh," was all Ren said as she shifted uncomfortably. She knew she had to answer. She sighed softly before muttering, "I'm not really sure. When he came back I thought things would be back to normal. He's been busy training on his own and doesn't have time for me. He stopped by over a month ago but he left right away. I-I'm not sure why he stopped by exactly b-but when I caught up to him he was kissing some girl. He's not come to see me since."

Temari's smirk faded and was replaced with a scowl. "I bet it's that dumb blonde he's dating. She gives blondes a bad name and she's such a-a-a," Temari stumbled trying to find the right insult.

"A doorknob," Ren stated. When Temari's brow furrowed in confusion Ren added, "Everyone gets a turn."

Temari nodded and threw her head back laughing hysterically. "That's prefect! That's exactly what she is," She managed to say between laughs, "I hate her so much." Ren smiled a little while Temari tried to regain her composure. "He'd be much better off with you," Temari teased.

Ren's cheeks tinted pink and she shook her head. "A-ano," she sputtered out, "I w-would never d-date him. H-he's l-like my b-brother."

Temari laughed again. The blush and stuttering was just too much and she was laughing so hard that her gut hurt. Ren was afraid she was going to pull something. Temari wiped the tear that had threatened to fall from her laughing, Ren still didn't see what was _that_ funny. "What about Gaara," Temari questioned, "Is he like a brother too?"

"I-I don't know him very well," Ren admitted. In truth she didn't really know him at all. Sure she knew that when he was frustrated his right nostril flared ever so slightly. When he was bored his eyelids would droop just a little more than usual. Sometimes when he was really focusing his eyebrows would furrow ever so slightly, not that he actually had eyebrows. When it came to Gaara's likes and dislikes though, she knew next to nothing.

"He's a little young for you right now anyway," Temari interrupted her thinking, "I'm sure someday you'll know him. He's wanting to become the next Kazekage. He's not told very many people that yet though, so don't go blabbing. Right now he's in the decision stage, he's unsure. Since the chunin exams he's… different. It's a nice change."

Ren could sense the underlying 'but I'm afraid it won't last' in Temari's words but said nothing. Gaara wasn't acting like a psychotic, murderous monster now. That was a good thing for all of Suna and anyone else who came across him. "If we're done for today, I need to get home. I have things to do before Kaasan gets home," Ren said as she forced herself to her feet.

Temari raised to her feet as well and picked up her giant fan so that Ren could grab her fans from the sand. Both girls secured their fans back where they had originally been. "K," Temari said then winked, "See you later."

Ren took a step back. No one ever winked at her. Judging by Temari's smirk it had been a joke and she was internally laughing about Ren's reaction. Well that was fine and dandy. "See you," Ren said as she bowed. She hurried home, despite the pain in her legs.

XXXXXXXX

_"__I'll be going to Konohagakure on a mission. This will be a chance to prove our loyalty to them," Gaara told Ren one day when they were training, "I do not know how long it will take. You will have to train on your own until then."_

_Ren nodded. She didn't see a problem with doing that. She wished she was given missions but she was still technically a genin and didn't even have a team anymore. Until there was a new Kazekage she was stuck in Suna. "That's fine. Hey," She smiled at Gaara and he stared at her. His eyes hinted a little confusion. Her voice wasn't usually so energetic, "While you're in Konoha, do you think you could check on Rock Lee? You were the one who hurt him so you should go see him. While you're there you can ask for more advice on my training and make sure we've been doing it right." _

_Gaara stared at her for a good long while. She could practically see the gears turning in his head and his right nostril flared slightly. He clearly hadn't enjoyed the reminder that he had done so much damage because he was unstable. Ren knew Gaara felt guilty, she hadn't meant to bring those feelings back to him. "Very well," he told her flatly, "I will see you when I return."_

_He turned and began walking away. Ren bit her bottom lip for a split second then told him, "I'm sure he will forgive you." He turned his head to look at her over his shoulder. He was practically glaring at her. She took a step backwards._

_He noticed. She could _feel_ that he noticed. "Do you fear me," he asked. _

_A sense of da ja vu filled Ren and she internally smiled. "I just don't know you," she muttered. She did still fear him and she hated that. He had only been helpful towards her. _

_"__You can ask me anything."_

_"__Will you write to me," She asked without even thinking. She didn't know why she even wanted him to._

_"__I won't be gone for very long. You would see me before any letters got here I'm sure."_

_"__The last time I was told someone would return quickly it took twice as long as expected. Will you write to me," Her voice waivered slightly as she asked again._

_"__Yes," he all but grunted as he walked off. _

That had been three months ago. According to his last letter the sand siblings were due to return yesterday. Ren had doubted they had made it. Still, she walked to the training grounds just like she did every day. She saw crimson hair first and she felt herself smiling. She quickly forced herself to stop as she approached him. He was staring right at her with his blue-green eyes. "Gaara-san, welcome home," she said when she was in front of him. He said nothing and motioned for her attack.

No words were exchanged as they sparred. Ren was able to beat his defense fairly easily, she was indeed much faster but she still took several hits. Nothing was said until Ren was sitting on the sand with her knees pulled up to her chest. Gaara was sitting with his legs crossed beside her. She was the one who broke the silence, "Thank you for writing to me. Even if you did only write that you were alive and were helping at the academy."

"You're welcome," he stated flatly. She bit her bottom lip and chewed on it softly. She really wished he would just speak. Her silent wish was granted. "We've learned many things that will help with our own academy. We will be stronger shinobi. Their healthcare is also superior. Rock Lee is expected to make a full recovery. He was on the mission I was sent on."

Ren stared at him for several seconds. She had thought that Lee's days as a shinobi had been over. She couldn't even begin to imagine what kind of person could go through all that and still be back for more. He was truly inspiring and she had a lot of admiration for her long distance sensei. "Was he alright," Ren finally asked.

"He wasn't doing very well when I caught up to him. We fought a male named Kaguya Kimimaro. His kekkei genkai allowed him to grow his bones and use them as weapons. They were very dense and impossible to break. He could have killed Lee and I, had his illness not claimed him first. He was fighting for Orochimaru. Even bad people have someone precious to them; that is their reason for existing. I have decided that Sunagakure and its people are precious to me. That they are why I continue to exist. I will become the fifth kazekage. Do you have someone precious like that, Ren?"

Ren thought long and hard. Her old teammates used to be, but they were so busy that they had nearly forgotten about her. They didn't visit anymore. She had been replaced. Her mother? She didn't even want Ren to be a kunoichi. She would have been happy if Ren chose a different life, she didn't fight for her. Kankuro? He didn't even talk to her. Her heart felt broken. She couldn't think of any person that was precious to her that she existed for. "No," she croaked, "There's no one."

Ren didn't realize she was crying until she couldn't breathe. Gaara was staring at her and she was in full blown snot-cry-mode. He clearly had no idea what to do for her. She wiped her eyes but the tears continued to flow. "I'll see you tomorrow," She whimpered before she ran home.


	6. Ch 5: Fairwell Sunagakure

**A/N: **So this is another long one... This Chapter is the sister of Chapter Six... They will go hand in hand. This is an important chapter, filled with events that Ren's been through through the time skip. Chapter Six will cover all of the Shippuden time frame. I just want to say a big thank you to all of you who are following and have favorited this story. Without you guys I don't think I'd be putting out updates as frequently as I have been. I'm pouring my heart to you all. I would like to say a special thank you to Sweet Petit. You've been here since the beginning and I adore your reviews! The questions you ask make me smile and I love answering them. You warm my heart so much! I love seeing that I have a review from you. I'd also like to thank timey-wimey-Hyuga and MistoffelessTrekyManiac for reviewing. I adore you all! Of course I'd like to say a special thank you to RaRa, the bestest bestie a girl could ask for! Chapter Six probably won't come out until 1/6/15 because holidays are hectic! I think I've rambled enough... so without further adieu, enjoy! (Don't forget to review if you like it!)

Chapter Five:

_Ren was reluctant to go to the training grounds the day after her episode with Gaara. She had broken down and her pride was stinging for it. She couldn't believe she had cried like that. Would he see her as a weakling? Would he be cross with her? She didn't know for sure but she was afraid to face him._

_Her heart hurt, knowing that she had no one to protect. She knew very well she should have said her mother. She loved her mother but her mother wasn't out there doing missions or anything dangerous. She wondered if her mother missed the action of being a kunoichi. Her mother said she enjoyed healing far more than drawing blood. Ren could understand that. She still had nightmares about Miki._

_Ren arrived at the training grounds earlier than she normally did. Gaara still had beat her there. She wondered, briefly, if he showed up hours early. She swallowed the lump in her throat when she saw his crimson hair. She approached him quietly, his back was to her. "I want to apologize for making you cry," His voice was flat and emotionless, "Temari has explained to me that it was insensitive of me. I'm sorry."_

_Ren froze mid-step. She blinked once, then twice, then once more. Gaara apologized? "I-It's f-fine," Ren sputtered out, "I-I o-overreacted. I-It wasn't y-your f-fault, G-Gaara-san." She was in awe. Sure Kankuro had said he apologized to him and Temari, but she never expected him to apologize to her. She took a deep breath to calm her rushing heart. _

_What was up with her ticker anyway? Was she nervous? No more than she usually was. Why was it beating so hard? It was like a bird trying to escape its cage. She placed her right hand over her heart trying to will it to slow a little. How strange. _

_Gaara turned to look at her, his eyes were empty of emotion as they peered into her dark glasses. Her heart skipped a beat. What the hell? She swallowed the lump in her throat and released the breath she hadn't realized she had been holding. Gaara opened his mouth to say something but she cut him off, "Let's get started okay?"_

XXXXXXXX

It had been two years since that day. Gaara was now a 14 year old Kazekage. No small feat, it would go down in history. The sand siblings were all thriving. Kankuro became a jonin and had several puppets at his disposal. Temari was also jonin and acting as ambassador. Even Ren had been promoted. She was now a chunin.

Gaara had done a lot for Suna already. The hospital was improving, which pleased Naoma. There was new medical equipment and they now had access to more herbs because of the three greenhouses that Gaara had built. The alliance with Konoha brought in quite a few missions. The academy benefited most. The things the sand siblings learned in Konoha while filling in for teachers helped Suna's school thrive. There was also now a man-made pond for teaching students chakra control behind the academy.

Ren now stood in the classroom full of 8 year olds. Their eyes upon her were intimidating, something her mother swore she would get over. Ren was 16 and teaching children ninja skills, reading, math, and history. She didn't think she would ever get over their stares. The students respected her but a few weren't as keen to do their work.

Ren had her now hip length hair pulled up into a ponytail and she wore her sunglasses at all times. Her attire consisted of a long sleeved sky-blue tunic, mid-thigh black shorts, mesh armor leggings, and nearly knee high black boots. Her black Sunagakure forehead protector was tied tightly across her forehead and her sunglasses resided on her nose.

She took a deep breath and looked at her students. There were only 15 of them. That felt like a lot to the 16 year old kunoichi. She smiled her brightest smile, which looked overly forced on her typically stoic face. "Ohayo, class," Ren said as she placed her bag in her chair. She pulled folders and books out of the bag to place down on her desk.

The class responded with a synchronized "Ohayo, Hyogo-sensei." Ren looked around the classroom. 15 heads all accounted for. That made things easier, no need for roll call.

"Please pass your homework up to the front rows. I trust that you all completed it," She said calmly. Her voice had a certain melody to it that even when she was speaking flatly (which she often did now due to being around Gaara) it sounded pleasant.

She watched a few panicked looks and sighed internally. They were always from the same 3 students. She wrote a note to make social visits to their homes and speak with their parents. Ren collected 12 papers from the front row of students, that wasn't a surprise. She shifted through the papers as she walked back to her desk and said "Please open your math textbooks to page 144. We will be practicing our subtraction some more."

Ren questioned why she had even taken this job. She never wanted to be a teacher. She wanted to be one of the elite. So why had she taken herself from missions to teach? The answer was simple.

_"This is not what you desired to do with your life, I am aware," Gaara's deeper, ever so stoic voice told her while she sat in a comfy armchair in front of his desk, "It's not something that I planned. The previous instructor quit before I became The Fifth Kazekage. It would not be permanent. You will return to missions as soon as a replacement is found."_

_Ren had stared at him for a good long while. She weighed her options. "I do not want to teach children. I'm still seen as a child myself," She said before biting her lip. In her head she silently asked him to change his mind. She couldn't refuse her Kazekage. Gaara said nothing so she continued, "I will do this, for Sunagakure, but _only_ until you find a replacement." Her eyes practically pleaded with his to reconsider but he remained passive and unmoving._

She had just sat the papers down when there was a knock on the door. She looked towards the door and then to her students. "Do the odd numbered problems 1-15," she said as she made her way to the door. She opened it and had to take a step back. The Fifth Kazekage was standing just outside the doorway. "Kazekage-sama," She whispered breathlessly. He removed the oversized hat from his head, sporting his unruly crimson hair for all to see.

"I need to speak with you Hyogo-san," Gaara said as he stepped to the side. A tall, tough looking shinobi Ren didn't recognize was now in view. Ren opened her mouth to question what was going on but Gaara cut her off, "This is Seiji, he will be looking after your class. Get your things and come along, we have important things to discuss." With that Gaara turned and started walking down the hallway.

Ren stood there with her lips parted slightly for a few seconds too long because Seiji cleared his throat. He was a man in his 40s with dark brown hair and a few scars on his stoic and rough face. She mentally shook herself and stepped aside to let the man into the classroom. He was easily over 6 feet tall so he had to duck under the doorway.

"C-Class," Ren had to pause to regain herself, "This is Seiji-sensei. I am needed by The Fifth. Be on your best behavior and pay attention." She walked over to the desk and started gathering her things. The whole time she felt Seiji's brown eyes on her from beside the door. It was creepy. She took a deep breath and beckoned the man over to her desk.

He blinked, as if he was surprised she would do such a thing. He quickly regained himself and took long strides up to her desk. She handed him the math book from her desk. "They're working on subtraction. You can find my lesson plan for today in the top drawer. It's in a pink notebook. Lunch is at 11:30 and they get an hour. Keep an eye on Takeshi and Takumi, they're the twins in the back with blond hair and green eyes. They often fight and you may need to separate them. Class is over at 3."

She had the feeling the man wasn't even listening because he said nothing. She frowned and furrowed her brows. "A-ano, did you get all that?" Ren asked. He nodded as she chewed on the inside of her lower lip. "Please be kind to my students," she muttered. She turned her attention to the class who had been talking lowly from the moment she had turned her back. "I'll see you all later," She said before exiting the room with her things.

She was shocked to see Gaara at the end of the hallway. Things were certainly strange today. Gaara never showed up if he summoned her. That was done with a hawk. He had something important to discuss with her. Now he was _waiting_ for her. Something was up. Ren's stomach clinched and she felt her hands go clammy as she clinched her bag. She opened her mouth to speak but her mouth lacked any moisture.

"We will talk in my library away from wandering ears," Gaara said calmly, as if he knew she wanted to question him. Ren nodded and he extended his arm to her. Ren froze. Her eyes went wide like an owl and she blinked a few times as she stared at it. Gaara broke through the pounding in her ears from her heart, "Do you still fear me?"

Ren swallowed the lump in her throat before slipping her arm through his and gripping his bicep gently. She felt tingly as her fingers knotted slightly in the sleeve of his robe. The fabric was so soft and, judging by the heat from his arm, he was so warm. "I just don't know you very well yet," she told him quietly.

With his free hand he replaced his hat and the two of them walked out of the academy and toward the Kazekage mansion. "You can ask me anything," he told her.

Ren knew that she wouldn't be able to ask the questions forming in her head. She would have to wait. Those questions weren't personal towards Gaara anyway. "What's your favorite fruit?"

"Strawberries," Gaara replied without missing a beat.

Ren's heart skipped a beat. "M-mine too," She muttered. She really hadn't been expecting to have that in common. She was a little frightened about how much she found they did have in common. They both liked strawberries, books, couldn't stand yokan, and enjoyed the silence the night offered. Those were just the basics. They were similar on a deeper level as well, and that was downright terrifying.

"Hn," was all he said as his eyes drifted to her. She was glad her glasses could block out her eyes. She didn't know what he would find in them if he could see them. She wasn't sure what she was feeling but knew that her eyes would give it away.

The walk there was short since the mansion is near the academy but it's still enough time for people to see them. They smiled and whispered amongst themselves. A few genin girls scowled, jealous of how close Ren was to the Kazekage. Ren considered letting go of his arm but he placed his hand on hers the second she started to loosen her grip. Ren didn't understand any of this. This was seriously the weirdest day ever. She was sure she would wake up any moment and wonder what the hell this dream was about.

The doors opened as soon as they were in front of them. Ren blinked, this was new to her. Ren had never imagined he'd have a maid. Gaara ushered her inside. She looked around. The mansion was made of sandstone. It was round like all buildings in Suna. There were intricate carvings in the high ceiling. The walls were bare. It almost didn't seem lived in. Gaara gave her a moment to gawk at the living room then motioned for her to follow him.

She walked with him in silence through the hallways. Her heart was racing and her mind was all over the place. Why did Gaara come to get her? Why had he let her touch him? Why had he wanted them to walk with their arms linked? What was so important it couldn't wait until after class? So many questions but she felt like she wouldn't be getting many answers. With Gaara she never really did.

Gaara lead her into a room that was wall to wall bookcases. Unlike the other areas in the house this room was disorganized. Books and scrolls littered the floor and the large birch desk. Parchment was everywhere. Ren had the urge to pick things up and organize it but remained standing in the middle of the room.

Gaara closed the door and preformed several hand signs, Ren knew he was putting up a barrier so that they wouldn't be spied on. Why all the secrecy? "K-Kazekage-sama? Wh-why am I here," Ren asked, her curiosity was too much. She didn't understand why they were in his home and not at the Kazekage's office.

"I have brought you here because I have a mission for you which will require confidentiality. It's an A ranked mission that will take a long time to complete," He told her.

"But I'm a chunin. I can't take an A ranked mission. What about my students? They need a teacher don't they? Have I been replaced," Ren questioned. She hadn't meant to say them all out loud but she couldn't stop herself. She linked her fingers together in front of her body and shifted nervously. She couldn't imagine what this A Ranked mission would be.

"Your students will now be learning under Seiji. He is a jonin capable of teaching. I had limited options for this mission. I need you to escort Mori Momoko, from Kusagakure, while she travels. She has asked for a beautiful kunoichi that fit your basic description. I do not like the idea of sending you away for so long but the money is good and we need to be in good standing with The Village Hidden in the Grass. Mori-san is a noblewoman from there and is here on business. Her last escort was killed getting her here.

"She has documents that must be delivered to the Land of Rivers, the Land of Waves, the Land of Hot Water, Takigakure, and then you will escort her home to Kusagakure. She has been receiving death threats and so you will remain there until she no longer needs your services. You are easily at jonin level, Ren-san," Gaara's voice was as emotionless as ever but she saw something flash in his eyes. Pain? Angst? Maybe it was regret.

Ren took in everything that he said. She knew she could not refuse her Kazkage. "How long will I be gone," Ren asked. She had been in Suna her whole life. She had never been out of the Land of Wind. She had her mother to take care of. She needed to know how long she would be away from home.

"I'm uncertain. The trip itself is estimated to take about 6 months. She cannot travel at the pace you can and so it will take more time. She is expecting to spend roughly a week in each location. I would have refused this mission but she's offering a generous payment. As you know, Sunagakure needs the money," there was a hint of annoyance to it. What was he frustrated about? Ren watched as his right nostril flared a little. Yes, Gaara was indeed irritated.

"I understand. It's a long time to be away from home but I will complete my mission successfully and return to Suna after she has arrived home safely," Ren said as she stared at her feet. 6 months was a long time. She wouldn't see her mother, Temari, Gaara, or… Kankuro… for that whole time. That was a little depressing. She was hoping she could convince him not to force her to stay in Kusagakure.

"You will be remaining in Kusa indefinitely. She fears for her life so you will be her personal body guard. It will be an undercover mission. No one is to know you are from Sunagakure. You will be acting as her cousin and traveling companion. After you leave Takigakure I want you to enter the Land of Fire. It will be safest."

Gaara walked over to the desk with his hands behind his back and used his right hand to sift through the countless papers until he found the folder he was looking for. Ren stayed still while he searched but her mind was anything but calm. _"Why is he sending me away indefinitely? Since when did other villages hire bodyguards for so long? I guess that they do that… but still! What about my mom? She'll miss me terribly and worry herself sick," _Ren thought while he was searching. He opened the file then scanned his blue-green eyes over the top sheet of parchment.

"Here," he said handing her a file, "You are now Kato Asuka. Age 17. You will be able to pull that off. In that folder is your new birth certificate and traveling papers. Keep them close to you."

Ren's head was spinning. She closed her eyes as she took the folder with her left hand, her thin fingers gripping it a little tighter than she meant to. She took a deep breath and opened her eyes. "When do I leave," She asked quietly, her voice sounded mousy.

"Sunrise three days from now. I have no doubts that you will succeed. Study everything in that folder. Spend time with your mother. We will keep in communication through encoded messages. This mission is to be secretive. People are to believe that you will be going to stay with a family member in a distant land. It is of great importance that you keep this mission to yourself," Gaara informed her.

Three days was not a lot of time. She had so much to do before she left. She had to spend time with her mother, say goodbye to her friends, and pack a few things. "Will we be continuing our sparring until I leave," Ren asked quietly, she wasn't sure he would even hear her.

"No. You will meet me here in the mornings, until you leave. Do not plan to pack your own clothing. Mori-san has your attire ready," Gaara paused. Maybe that seemed odd to him too. It felt almost too planned to Ren. She was uneasy. He looked away from her, towards one of the bookcases then went on, "Prepare your weapons as usual but be aware they will need to remain hidden."

Ren nodded in understanding. Ren looked towards her feet for a few seconds, trying to wrap her head around the situation. This all felt suspicious. Surely Gaara knew that too. She looked at his face. His eyes did not meet hers and she couldn't read him. She doubted she would ever be able to read the Fifth Kazekage. Gaara was the perfect shinobi. A part of her admires him for that, another part finds it terrifying.

She had forgotten all about how he had escorted her here. All those questions had disappeared and now she would never had her answers, later she would kick herself for missing the opportunity to ask. "I will not let you down, Kazekage-sama," She said passively. She kept her face stoic and resisted the urge to bite her lip. All of this was so unsettling.

XXXXXXXX

"I cannot refuse, kaasan," Ren pleaded with her mother to understand, "I did not plan this but I will complete my mission. You know I can't give information. I'll be writing to Gaara-."

Naoma held her hand up before Ren could finish to cut her off. She started pacing as if wishing to wear a whole in the sandstone floor while she wrung her knuckles together. "I know that you knew him before he was the Kazekage, but always address him with respect, Ren," her mother lectured, "I know you cannot tell me where you're going or why. How long? '_Indefinitely' _isn't good enough for me Ren. You're 16 years old and going on a mission alone. How can you expect me to be okay with that?"

"Kaasan! Please be reasonable," Ren raked her fingers across her scalp and through her long dark hair in frustration. "I will come home as soon as I am able but I don't know how soon that will be. At least 6 months."

Ren watched as her mother sat down at the wooden table across from her. Her mother buried her face into her hands for several seconds. Ren remained still and silent. She hated hurting her mother but she had to do this. Finally Naoma raised her head to look into Ren's bare eyes. Naoma's whole face was twisted with pain. She dropped her hands to the table and clinched her fists. "You were in a coma for two years. You've spent every say since you were able training and working so hard. I thought when you took a teaching position at the academy I wouldn't have to worry about you anymore."

Ren's already damaged heart ached tremendously. She reached out and placed her left hand on her mother's clinched right fist. "Kaasan, we both knew that was temporary. I promise to ask _Kazekage-sama_," Ren made sure to correct her earlier mistake, "to keep you informed on how I am. I wish I could write to you," Ren's voice cracked and she had to shake her head to fight back the tears that threatened to fall from the corners of her white eyes. She took a shaky breath and spoke on, "but I just can't. It would compromise my mission. I love you, kaasan. I'll come back as soon as I can, I promise."

Naoma began crying. Ren stood and hurried around the table and wrapped her arms around her mother's shoulders. "I love you, kaasan," She whispered as her mother sobbed into her chest and grabbed her forearms like they were a lifeline. Ren's heart was in so much pain. She was hurting her mother and she hated that more than anything. She didn't cry though. Not until Naoma had stopped. She went into her room, closed the door, and buried her face into her pillow then sobbed herself to sleep.

XXXXXXXX

Ren stood at the entrance of Suna wearing a baggy light olive blouse, a brown skirt that reached her knees with a slit up one side that stopped mid-thigh, black sandals, and kunai strapped to her left thigh. She was only able to conceal 6 of them there. She also kept a dagger holstered with them. She had shuriken hidden within a pouch around her waist. She had her trusty fans tied to the pouch on her waist. Her long black hair was twisted and knotted into a loose bun. She wore her typical dark shades to obscure view of her eyes.

A few yards away from her a woman in her late-20s was conversing with Gaara. The woman was Mori Momoko. She was 28 years old and the widow of a man named Mori Tadashi. Her sandy blonde hair was pinned intricately in several places, making her hair style far more elaborate than Ren's simple one. The woman had gray eyes that resembled smoke. She had a very elegant face. Her nose was thin and proud, her lips full, and her eyes were round. She was also tall and thin but still had a great figure.

Momoko wore an olive blouse that had golden leaves embroidered on the sleeves. She had on black pants and sandals. Ren matched her quite well despite the simplicity of Ren's outfit compared to Momoko's. Ren's skin was much lighter than Momoko's, she had a slight bronze tint to her flesh. Ren marveled about how she lived in the desert and always remained ghost white. It was a curse! She was even developing little freckles in a line under her eyes.

"Thank you for your hospitality," Momoko's melodic voice carried into Ren's ears, "I will be in touch with you on a regular basis."

Ren tuned out the rest of the conversation. She had too much on her mind. She wished her mother could have come to the gates to say goodbye but she couldn't. Their goodbyes had been short and formal, leaving Ren feeling tense. Her mother was angry with her.

Temari placed her hand on Ren's shoulder. Ren had forgotten that the tall blonde was next to her. She turned her gaze to the older kunoichi and forced a smile. "It'll be over before you know it, Short-Stuff. I'll keep an eye on your mother and Gaara for you. You've got nothing to worry about. You're a Sand kunoichi. You've got this in the bag," Temari said before flashing Ren her trademark smirk. Ren wondered if Temari ever actually just smiled.

"Thank you, Temari-san," Ren said quietly. Temari's words were comforting in their own way. She had needed reassurance. Ren relaxed slightly under Temari's hand and her smile became more real. Temari pulled her hand away and crossed her arms. "Do you think Gaara-san will miss me," Ren muttered before she realized the words were spoken out loud.

"Hm," Temari responded without missing a beat. She was clearly thinking about it since she paused and stared at the Kazekage. He was wearing his Kazekage robe and oversized hat. He still looked so strange in the attire. The blue stripe down the front of the robe complimented the white of it well. Both colors suited him. He had his own aura of elegance in it. "I don't know. You should ask him yourself."

Ren made the mistake of looking at her friend. Temari's smirk taunted her. Ren's smile dropped and she scowled. No way in hell would she ask him that! She glanced back at Gaara and her face suddenly felt hotter. What was wrong with her?

"Hey, are you alright? Short-stuff?" Temari placed her hand on Ren's forehead and she blinked. "You don't have a fever," Temari inquired, "you're blushing!"

Ren was sure he blush got worse. _"Hyogo Ren doesn't blush,"_ she thought to herself. Of course she did. She'd done so countless times. She internally scolded herself and took deep breaths to clear the redness from her cheeks. "I-I'm fine. I j-just was thinking about something. A-anyway, I think it's about time to head out. I'll see you soon, Temari-san."

Temari wrapped her arms around Ren and she stiffened. She wasn't expecting a hug. Temari didn't release her so Ren wrapped her arms around Temari's torso. "I'm gonna miss ya, Short-Stuff," Temari whispered in her ear.

Ren smiled and the two slowly separated. "I'll miss you too," Ren said with a sad smile. She knew she really would. Temari was now one of her best friends. She took a deep breath and approached Gaara and Momoko. Ren internally sighed before saying, "We need to be going don't we? The sun's already above the horizon."

Momoko nodded and cheerfully said, "Yeah. We do need to get going." She bowed to Gaara. "Thank you again, Kazekage-sama." Momoko picked up her pack and pulled the straps over her shoulders. Ren was pleased that the woman wasn't too proud to carry her own things; Ren had her own pack to carry after all. "I'm going to go say goodbye to Temari-san, then we'll be off," Momoko said with a wink.

Ren would never get used to people winking at her. Her cheeks tinted pink and she stared at her sandals as Momoko walked past her and to Temari, leaving Ren alone with Gaara. "Gomenasai, Kazekage-sama, I did not mean to seem rude or bossy," Ren said softly without looking up at him.

Gaara was passive and unreadable when she finally did look up at him. He crossed his arms over his chest. She didn't know what to make of him. "We were done. That woman enjoys talking too much."

Ren stared at Gaara for a moment then smiled. "I suppose the journey won't be boring then. I," Ren paused, unsure what she truly wanted to say. Gaara's blue-green eyes stared into hers through her glasses. Even with them on she felt like he was peering into her soul. "A-ano. I'll miss… Sunagakure." She wanted to smack her palm against her forehead. She didn't know why she had even wanted to tell _him_ she would miss him, but she had lost the nerve to do so anyway.

"It will still be here when you return. Perhaps things will have even improved," Gaara shifted his gaze to the village and Ren thought she almost saw him smile. He really was a good Kazekage. "We will be in touch. Temari has said that she will check in on your mother."

Ren nodded. Temari had already said that. She bit her lower lip nervously and picked at the hem of her blouse. "A-ano," She practically whispered, "W-why didn't K-Kankuro come?" She knew the question was one she could answer herself but she wanted someone else to do it for her. She wondered if Gaara could hear the sadness in her voice. She had meant to hide it but didn't feel that she did a good job.

Gaara's gaze fell back on her. She felt like he was looking at her like she had grown a second head, in his own way. His love kanji moved up ever so slightly. He was intrigued. "He said that he needed to repair the joints on Crow," Gaara muttered in his flat tone.

In other words, Kankuro was still avoiding her and didn't feel the need to say goodbye to her. She took a deep breath, a year ago she may have cried. Not today. She knew full well Kankuro wasn't her friend. Temari and Gaara were her friends. Her only friends. They were her best friends. She loved them dearly. Temari was like a quirky older sister who loved to tease her. Gaara was… Gaara. There was no classification for him aside from that.

Ren nodded and mumbled a barely audible, "I see. Well, he's very busy." She swallowed the lump in her throat and placed her hands behind her back, lacing her fingers together.

Momoko started walking back to the two of them and Ren smiled her best fake smile. She wanted to seem as friendly as possible for her client. She bowed to Gaara. "Kazekage-sama. Take care of yourself."

"Do you fear me Hyogo-san?"

The question caught Ren off guard. She straightened her posture and stared at Gaara in shock. Where had that question come from? Had he lost his mind? "I just don't know you very well," She answered. She smiled at him genuinely. It was a game they played. It was rare and always made her feel better.

"You can ask me anything."

"Will you miss me," the question was out before she could unlace her fingers and cover her mouth. Her left hand reached her face too late. She closed her eyes and counted to 10. She opened her eyes and stared at the sand between them.

The question seemed to catch Gaara off guard too. Momoko was now standing next to Ren. Ren knew Gaara wouldn't answer now, not with a witness. The only time Gaara ever really opened up to her was when they were alone, if you could call that opening up. "I will miss you, Hyogo-san," He said, making Ren's breath hitch in her throat. "Travel safely. Goodbye."

XXXXXXXX

Ren's first thought about The Land of Rivers' green landscape was _"it's cool and moist."_ She didn't know how to deal with it. She was used to the hot, dry sands of Suna. This place was covered with dirt and grass. Ren was miserable. She felt like she was freezing. Momoko didn't seem to mind it at all. Ren wrapped her arms around herself as they walked.

When they were across the border Momoko broke the silence they had fallen into. "So The Fifth Kazekage will miss you, huh," her lovely voice questioned.

Ren blushed and looked away. She really hadn't wanted to talk about it and had been praying that Momoko wouldn't bring it up. "H-he's m-my f-f-friend and s-sparring p-partner, Mori-san," Ren responded weakly. Her stutter was there with a vengeance.

Momoko seemed overly amused. Had Ren been looking at her she would have seen the woman's plump lips curved like a bow and slight crinkles at her eyes. "Oh, I see. So he's just a sparring partner, ne? That's a shame. You two look cute together."

Ren's blush grew from light pink to dark pink in a hurry. "A-ano, w-w-we're j-just f-friends. H-He's t-two years y-younger th-than I am, M-Mori-san."

"Oh I see. That's right, he's only 14. You're 16. Well, you were 16 before we left. Now you're 17 and your name is Kato Asuka. Well, Asuka-chan, we will find you a boyfriend! Youth deserves love to grow old with," Momoko's smile faded slightly and her voice panged with a small sadness that made Ren look at her, her blush forgotten. "I met Tadashi when I was your age. He was 19 at the time and my father nearly had a heart attack. We were married as soon as I turned 18 and were together for 8 years. I'd like to think we would have been together forever, had he not been killed."

Ren placed her hand on Momoko's shoulder, despite the fact the woman was 6 inches taller than her. She had received this kind of comfort from Temari and decided to put it to use. "He is not gone. He lives in your heart and your memories. He's amongst the stars, watching forever, even though you can't always see them."

Momoko smiled sadly and nodded. The trip was quiet until they reached the first of many inns they would be staying in.

The room they were to share for a week wasn't glamorous or flashy. It wasn't big but it wasn't small either. Its walls were a light wood that Ren couldn't identify and was littered with cheap art of fruits and waterfalls. The floor was a dark wood, perhaps a stained oak, and offered no warmth. There were two sleeping mats across from the door and a dresser underneath the room's only window. There was a dining area that consisted of a table and two chairs to the left of the door. The bathroom was to the right, across from the dresser. It had the basic accommodations and flowery scented soaps.

Ren and Momoko unpacked a few of their things: brushes, night clothes, and weapons. Ren stretched her hands above her head, making her blouse rise nearly to her belly button so she quickly put her arms back down. Momoko was taking a shower so she was standing guard outside the door. It was strange, practically going to the bathroom with another person. She knew that girls often went with their friends but she didn't understand why. Is it easier to pee with someone to talk to?

Momoko took forever in the shower. Ren removed her dark glasses and rubbed her eyes. Her feet were hurting her from her new sandals. Ren bent over to examine her feet. It felt like she still had sand stuck between her toes even though she had shaken them out several times. Momoko opened the bathroom door and Ren nearly jumped out of said sandals.

Momoko laughed a little and strolled over to the dresser. Ren had closed the curtain so that no one could see in, she had even pushed the dresser back to keep the curtain pinned in place. "The water here is simply refreshing. Will you be showering before dinner? I'm sure I can handle myself long enough for you to do that, ne?"

Ren chewed on her lower lip. She was supposed to guard Mori Momoko at all times. Could she do that from the shower? She really wished that Gaara would have sent another person. Then again a shower sounded so nice. She could wash away the sand that felt caked onto her body from the moist air. "I cannot leave you unattended, Mori-san," Ren finally answered after debating.

"I'll join you in there then. No offense, Asuka-chan, but you smell like sweat and wet sand. You shower and I'll do my hair. Sound good?"

_"No! That sounds awful. I don't want you seeing me naked,"_ Ren screamed inside her head. She looked down and frowned, examining herself. She did look dirty. She did smell bad. She didn't feel like she had much of a choice. "A-Alright," She said quietly, "b-but d-don't look at m-me."

Momoko stared at Ren like she was a child and laughed. "You aren't my cup of tea, darling. I won't look. Don't be so subconscious. You're beautiful and should embrace it. By the time we reach Kusagakure, you're going to be a whole new lady."

Ren hoped not. She liked being herself, insecurities and all.

XXXXXXXX

The Land of Rivers was uneventful, the Land of Waves was passive, the Land of Hot Water was boring, and Takigakure was the worst. No trouble came from the whole 8 month trip. Sure there had been some guys who decided to try to touch either Ren or Momoko that had received a warning twist to their arms.

Ren never broke their bones but she could have. Momoko explained to Ren that she was being a little rash in her decision to twist a man's arm behind his back in front of his buddies. Apparently that was unwanted attention. Ren could agree and started using her etiquette instead.

Ren learned how to walk like a noblewoman, talk like a noblewoman, and practically be a noblewoman. Momoko always introduced her as her cousin to her business associates. It was flattering to Ren even if it was part of the job. She found a friend in Momoko.

Thoughts of home still plagued Ren's mind though. She missed the sun and the sand. She missed the scorching summer breeze and the cool winter nights. She missed her mother's cooking, her scent, and her smile. She missed sparring with Gaara. She missed Temari's teasing. She even missed Kankuro, even though they hadn't talked in so long. It was hard to be away from home.

All was great, until they entered the Land of Fire on their way to Kusagakure. Ren and Momoko were traveling at a decent civilian pace. Ren was on her guard, which she never dropped even to doze, and so when she heard a branch creek in the trees above them Ren grabbed Momoko, making her drop the map, and forced her behind her. "Hey! Wh-" Momoko exclaimed before Ren covered her mouth.

"We know you're there," Ren shouted at the trees that she thought she was sure she had heard the noise come from. "Show yourselves!" Ren pulled the dagger, the most civilian-like weapon she had, from the holster around her thigh and held it ready to attack. She would have pulled out shuriken or kunai and threw them at the figures in the trees, but knew not to. That would give her away.

She was about to shout again when two Leaf shinobi dropped from the trees. They both were tall, in their mid-20s, and had dark eyes. Both men wore the standard Konoha shinobi attire, green flak vest and all. That was where the similarities ended.

The slightly taller man's chin length hair was brown and covered half of his face. Ren wondered how he could fight with an eye covered. Then again some Sand shinobi were like that. He wore a blue bandanna with his forehead protector on it and his shirt came up onto his chin. His eyes were rounded and he had a kind appearance.

The second was the rougher looking of the two. He had dark black hair that was similar to Ren's own hair color. His had a bluish tint to it however. It stuck up all over the place and Ren figured the only thing keeping it out of his face was his black Konoha headband. He wore a bandage across his face, his nose holding it up as it drooped down to his cheeks then back up behind his ears. His look was complete with a wide soul patch on his chin.

"What are you ladies doing out here in the forest," The tougher-looking man asked. Both men were eying Ren and Momoko. Ren continued to clutch the dagger and kept her stance loose. She knew Suna and Konoha were allies, but were Kusa and Konoha? Ren didn't know. She really hoped so.

Momoko stepped around Ren and stood beside her with her hands linked. "I am Mori Momoko and this is my cousin Kato Asuka. We're on our way home to Kusagakure. We just came from Takigakure," Momoko explained slowly in her harmonious voice, "We have our travel permits in out bag. Asuka-chan, but the dagger away." Momoko looked at Ren expectantly.

Ren's eyes widened from behind her glasses. Uh-oh. Putting the dagger away meant she'd have to reach back into the slit of her skirt. Putting it away meant she may end up showing the kunai that were strapped to the same location. She relaxed her stance even though her mind wasn't and focused on breathing. She slowly slipped the dagger into the strap of her travel pouch. It was now out in the open and unsafe, but at least she didn't show her hand.

"I'm Kamizuki Izumo," the first man said before motioning to the second, "and this is Hagane Kotetsu. We'd like to see your papers. You understand I'm sure."

"Of course," Momoko said as she removed her bag and pulled out their paperwork.

This all felt weird to Ren: exchanging names in a forest, being stopped by Leaf shinobi in the first place. Maybe it was her imagination but it all seemed bizarre. While Izumo took the papers from Momoko and checked them over Ren bent over and picked up the map she had made Momoko drop. She studied it and almost missed Izumo saying, "Looks like everything's in order."

Momoko and Ren shared a look that Ren knew all too well. Time for some acting. Ren blinked and turned the map to face the two shinobi. She was getting pretty good at pretending to be a civilian now. "Excuse me," she said sweetly, "I was wondering if this would be a safe route to take?" Ren pointed to a path that was drawn out. "We haven't been this way before and I think I may have gotten us a little lost." She laughed a nervous laugh and scratched her cheek.

Ren and Momoko had been doing this on occasion. Sometimes they would know that they were approaching a place that might be more hostile than others and so they would ask a shinobi or two to help them 'find their way'. Ren didn't understand fully why they needed an escort now, but she would not argue with the woman who paid her and Suna.

Izumo took the map from Ren and traced his finger along the map. Kotetsu's eyes didn't go to the map at all. Instead they were focused on Ren. She blushed and shifted nervously as the silence dragged on. She could feel Momoko's hand casually gripping Ren's blouse for comfort.

Sometimes Ren's 'I'm lost' routine didn't work. Ren wondered why Momoko wanted an escort so badly. Had she known there would be shinobi in this forest? It was all too suspicious for Ren's comfort. She mentally shook her head and realized she had missed something Izumo said. She tilted her head to the side and furrowed her brows, looking completely confused.

Izumo and Kotetsu shared a look. Izumo looked annoyed and Kotetsu looked eager. It went on for at least 30 seconds. Kotetsu finally spoke, "We'll just take you. We're heading that way anyway. It'll be our pleasure, right Izumo?"

Izumo didn't look amused. He glared at Kotetsu and muttered, "We'll have to let the Fifth know."

Ren didn't watch as he summoned a hawk and strapped a note to the bird's leg. She had seen it, but it didn't register. Mentioning of 'The Fifth' reminded her of Gaara. She was so homesick all the sudden. She wanted to see Temari's smirk and Gaara's stoic face. She wanted a hug from her mother. Her face must have lost what little color she had because Momoko asked, "Asuka-chan, are you alright? You don't look so well."

Ren took a small breath and then nodded. She was trying to push away the physical urge to vomit because she missed home so much. She was clinching her abdominal muscles too tightly. She forced herself to relax and said, "I just thought I saw a bug." It was such a lie, Ren wasn't afraid of them.

"Don't worry Asuka-san," Kotetsu said as he reached out and patted her shoulder. Ren's skin tingled underneath the fabric of her blouse at the contact. It was so weird. Why did he have to be so cute, for an older guy? "We'll protect you from the bugs."

Ren had the feeling that he didn't mean insects. She smiled and said, "Arigato, Kotetsu-san." She figured if he would use her first name, she would use his. He didn't seem to mind because he smirked.

Izumo broke the awkwardness of Ren staring at Kotetsu's smirk with his hand resting on her shoulder by saying, "Well, let's get going. If you're going to Kusa it's going to be a long walk. This way ladies." Izumo extended his left arm in the direction that they were to travel.

Ren picked up Momoko's pack and helped her put it back on. The bags had gotten a lot lighter as the trip progressed. Ren suspected it had to do with whatever Momoko was delivering and the fact she was running out of pocket change. Their rations were nearly gone.

Ren felt like the trip couldn't end soon enough. As much as she wanted to go home, she knew she couldn't. She sent letters to Gaara every month but never received a response. That bothered her so much but she understood that they were traveling so it was impossible. She couldn't wait to be still, even if it wasn't in her own home.

The four of them walked in silence. Kotetsu walked beside Ren while Izumo walked next to Momoko. Both women walked with their heads held high and their hands clasped in front of their bodies. Ren was a little scared of how noble she could seem. Who would have thought the daughter of a nurse could blend so well with nobles?

Izumo and Momoko had at least 3 feet of personal space each. Ren was not so fortunate. Kotetsu was so close that when he rubbed the back of his neck he nearly elbowed her. "Sorry about that," he said with a chuckle though he looked a little embarrassed. Ren watched him from the corner of her eye.

He was handsome and almost exotic looking, she would give him that. "It's alright," Ren said with a smile. Everything Ren said was with a smile.

_Momoko and Ren were sitting on their sleeping futons in The Land of Hot Water trying to sleep. "Hey Asuka-chan," Momoko said quietly. Her voice wasn't all that cheery. _

_Ren turned over onto her side and looked at Momoko. "Un?"_

_"Why don't you ever smile? There's a lot of power behind a smile."_

_"I've been trained to keep my emotions in check," Ren responded meekly, "Showing your emotions can give away your next move in battle."_

_Momoko was quiet as she stared up at the ceiling. Ren was about to lay down when Momoko sliced through the silence. "I'd like to tell you a story. Once upon a time there was a princess. She loved her parents and was the perfect daughter. There was a war and both of her parents were killed. The girl felt broken. She had lost her whole family. She moved past those feelings though, because she had to lead her kingdom. The girl was strong and smart. She defeated every enemy that came. She defeated them with a smile._

_"I want you to smile more, Asuka-chan. I'd be more terrified of a strong young woman who smiles while she guts me than one who doesn't show anything. You have a lovely face and a great smile. Make sure you use them, ne?"_

Ren knew that the story had meant you should befriend your enemies, but she wouldn't tell Momoko that. Sometimes it was silly how a 28 year old woman could be so ignorant. She was manipulative and dumb at times but Ren adored her. They were friends and Ren had very few of those.

Kotetsu returned her smile with a smirk. Why did everyone always smirk? It was really irritating to Ren. Izumo interrupted her internal rant by saying, "Kotetsu, take point."

XXXXXXXX

Ren laid in the tent next to Momoko. Izumo was supposed to be on first watch but Ren could hear Kotetsu was awake too. They were talking about something but Ren couldn't understand what. She carefully crawled to the entrance of the tent and peeked her head out. She couldn't see either of them.

She bit her lip softly and rubbed the back of her neck while she tried to decide what to do. She knew she shouldn't eavesdrop but it was so tempting. A ninja always gathers as much information as possible. She took a deep breath and crawled out of the tent. She couldn't see a damn thing. She took a deep breath and held two fingers up in front of her mouth.

"Byakugan," she whispered as she focused her chakra to her eyes. The veins around her eyes swelled with chakra and her vision changed. Ren felt an excruciating pain behind her eyes and had to deactivate her kekkei genkai. She fell to her knees and covered her eyes with her hands. She had never experienced such pain.

Ren's hands were shaking as she pulled them down from her face. She couldn't see anything. She fumbled back into the tent, not bothering to brush the dirt from her knees first, and laid on her mat. She felt like the tent was spinning. She wanted off this ride.

Ren closed her eyes and put her forearm over them. Her skin was cool and the pressure helped. She laid there trying to figure out what happened. She had been able to use it fine before her coma. She hadn't tried since. She mostly forgot she could.

Ren begged the pain to go away. She pleaded with Kami and anyone else who may be able to hear her thoughts. She could have screamed, cried, thrashed about. That just wasn't how Ren was. She could be dying and she wouldn't scream. Right now she felt like she may be dying.

"I'm not sure how I feel about this," Ren heard Izumo's voice. It was distant but getting closer. "We should have just kept going. This wasn't part of the mission at all."

"Relax," Kotetsu's voice was louder than Izumo's. They clearly believed Ren and Momoko were both asleep. Ren practically held her breath. "We were heading this way anyway. The likelihood of us actually finding any sound ninja is pretty low. Lady Tsunade's had shinobi out this way countless times and they came up with nothing. Don't worry so much."

Ren suddenly forgot about the pain behind her eyes. She realized just how much danger she had potentially put Momoko in. If something happened to her that would be on Ren, no one else. _"Fuck,"_ Ren thought, _"What the hell am I supposed to do now? I can't just be like 'oh we figured out our way'. Please Kami watch over us."_

XXXXXXXX

Kami was not listening. A few hours before they would reach Kusa's border the group was being tailed by two ninja. Izumo stopped and shouted for the other three to continue. Kotetsu was reluctant but ushered the women away. Ren was having a hard time acting like a civilian by the time Kotetsu told her, "I can't leave you two unattended."

"We'll be alright," Ren told him quickly, "I do know how to fight. There seems to only be the two of them. Your partner is going to need your help." Ren didn't know why but she used both her hands and pushed on Kotetsu's chest, forcing him to stumble backwards towards Izumo.

Kotetsu stumbled back but didn't fall. His mouth was wide open and his eyes a little wide. He had not expected Ren to push him. Ren's mouth was open too. She also had not expected to do the pushing. She mumbled a soft "Gomenasai."

He nodded and turned to run into the fight. Ren and Momoko stared at each other. "I know you want to help," Momoko said, easily reading Ren, "but we have to keep a low profile. I don't enjoy deceiving people but sometimes we must. If survival depends on it sometimes we have to lie. Do not fight unless you have to."

Ren nodded and sighed softly. "I know. I just hate knowing I could be helping and I'm not. I'm still not used to letting others fight for me," Ren admitted. She didn't want to compromise her mission. "I promise that I will not engage in unnecessary battles. I hope that our escorts will be alright."

"They are skilled shinobi with level heads in battle," Momoko replied. They were silent long enough to watch Kotetsu stab one of the ninja in his shoulder and Izumo buried three shuriken into the other's torso. Momoko flinched and Ren turned to look at her. Momoko must have felt her eyes on her because she muttered, "I'm just not used to violence. Our world is a very violent place."

"It really is," Ren said weakly. She hated it as much as Momoko seemed to be. She was trained to fight from the time she was 6. They lived in a world where children were taught to kill and assassinations were acceptable. People didn't value each other's lives at all. Times were grim. With rumors of S-Rank Rogues on the loose, Orochimaru forming his own village, and Uchiha Sasuke running off to join him the world would only get far more dangerous.

Both women knew how grim life was right now. They didn't need to say it. Ren was just thankful that all of that felt so far away from Suna now. Orochimaru had almost ruined her home, she had taken to hating a man she couldn't even picture. She was sure that Gaara would not allow anything to happen to Sunagakure. It would all be okay.

The two of them had missed most of the fight because they had been staring at each other, each looking at the other with understanding. Kotetsu and Izumo had the men down and bleeding to death by the time the two broke gazes. The women made their way to the men while Izumo searched one of the men.

He pulled a black headband out of one of their pockets. "Kotetsu," he said to get his partner's attention. Izumo held up the headband and grimly announced, "Sound ninja. Send a message to Lady Tsunade. She'll want to know about this."

Kotetsu was already making hand signs by the time Izumo was finished. The playful expression Ren had seen on Kotetsu's face the days before was completely gone. She was impressed. He had playfully flirted with her the whole journey. It was like he was a different shinobi now. It didn't take long for the message to be sent. All eyes remained on Kotetsu.

"Thank you for getting us this far," Momoko said sincerely, "Without you two here," her words trailed off. Without them they would have died. Ren didn't know if she could have taken down two sound ninja. Momoko seemed to know that she couldn't. "Arigato," She thanked them again.

"Arigato," Ren said right after Momoko. She was staring at Izumo and Kotetsu who shrugged and seemed embarrassed as they muttered "you're welcomes" to the duo. "We should be able to reach home safely. Thank you again," Ren bowed to them. The two of them seemed even more uncomfortable. They clearly weren't used to being treated so highly. Ren blushed when she noticed her error.

"We'd love to escort you further," Izumo said, "but you seem to understand the need to stay here. Be safe on the remainder of your journey." He smiled kindly, the first smile Ren had seem on his face. He was cuter when he smiled.

"Until we meet again," Kotetsu said in the most charming voice he could. Ren blushed and nodded.

Momoko and Ren left them with the corpses of two sound ninja and headed to Kusa. "I think Kotetsu-san likes you," Momoko whispered when they were out of site.

XXXXXXXX

As Ren and Momoko entered Kusagakure, Ren had to do her best to contain her wonder. There were forests filled with enormous toadstools, trees, and flowers. She had been traveling through places that had more foliage than a few cacti every hundred miles so she was getting used to it. She wasn't used to seeing things so big. The Land of Grass lived up to its reputation, in terms of plants.

Ren followed Momoko into her wooden mansion without a word. The house was large with several rooms. It wasn't a traditional home, it was more rectangular and the roof was pointed at the top. Ren was used to the rounded homes of Suna so the whole thing felt bizarre. The house itself was painted a pale blue. The door was solid oak and painted green.

The inside was filled with bright colors and soaked in natural light from all the windows. Ren slipped off her shoes next to Momoko's and was given the 'grand tour'. There were too many rooms. Ren was afraid she would get lost. "It's a lot to try to remember," Ren muttered as they returned to the sitting room and had tea.

"You'll adjust and know this house like the back of your hand in no time. There are clothes for you in your room. I think they should fit you, though the pants and skirts may be a little big on you. If they are we can have them taken up and in. Go get changed, dear, we need to go shopping," Momoko cooed. The woman really did love shopping. She had commented several times that she would buy several things were they not trying to travel light.

Ren bowed and hurried down the hallway while Momoko headed down the other. Ren opened a few doors before finally finding the room designated as hers. She slipped inside and stared at the room. There was a big canopy bed with fluffy blue covers. "Gaara's favorite color," she muttered as she walked up to the large oak bureau and pulled open its doors.

She sifted through the clothes. They looked so regal and glamorous. Ren didn't see herself as either of those. She settled for a pink tunic with blue lotus blossoms on it. "How ironic," Ren mumbled as she stared at the silky garment. She put on a navy skirt that was a little baggy and reached bellow her knees.

She found a hairbrush on the spruce vanity and sat herself on the cushioned stool. She stared at the mirror. Her hair was truly getting too long but she couldn't bear the idea of cutting it. It reached just below her buttocks and had slightly split ends from improper care. She sighed slightly as she twirled a lock of it around her left index finger, silently hoping she'd be able to care for it better now that they weren't traveling.

Ren brushed her hair gently and tied a pink ribbon that she found in one of the drawers at the small of her back to keep her hair together. She had been wearing it up in a bun or ponytail for the whole journey. It was refreshing to wear her hair in a style she preferred. Ren's mother had told her this was how her father wore his hair sometimes. She felt a little sad, she would probably never know him.

Ren stared at her reflection. She felt so plain except for her exotic white eyes. She reached up and rubbed the corners of them with both hands. "Why did they hurt so badly," She asked herself quietly. "I was using it all the time when I sparred with Kankuro. What changed? I was in a coma for two years but I didn't use it for a lot of my life. The down time shouldn't have mattered."

Ren closed her eyes and thought. She received medicine for her muscles, started training for speed, began practicing wind release, lost her best friend, and gained two new friends. Ren's eyes flew open. "The medicine? Would that do it?" She chewed on her bottom lip and stared at her reflection's eyes. There was no other explanation. She would write to Gaara about it later. She couldn't wait to write to Gaara.

There was a knock on her door, breaking her out of her thoughts. "Asuka-chan," Momoko's voice cooed from the other side, "Are you almost ready? We need to meet with an acquaintance of mine after we go shopping."

Ren stood and moved to the door to open it. "I'm ready now, Momoko-san. Why are we meeting with an acquaintance of yours?"

Ren took in Momoko's appearance. She was wearing a black skirt that barely reached her knees, a light purple kimono top with black swirls, and a black obi. Her hair was knotted extravagantly, as always, and was held up with purple clips that were shaped like flowers. She was quite lovely.

"Well, I was supposed to meet with him 2 months ago. As you are well aware our 6 month trip took 8, so he's wishing to catch up. He is a sweetheart and has been checking in on me often since Tadashi died. He's like a protective older brother. I sent him a message while we were at the gates of Kusagakure. He'll be meeting us for dinner. I asked him to bring his younger brother to keep you company," Momoko said with a grin.

Ren's cheeks turned pink. She knew exactly what Momoko was planning. She had done this several times since they first met. She was trying to set Ren up on a date. It was like Momoko thought she was taking care of Ren and not the other way around. "Momoko-san," Ren pleaded, "I do not need his younger brother to keep me company. He could compromise my mission."

Momoko laughed and reached out to rub Ren's cheek. "You worry too much. I feel much safer to be home now. Please try to enjoy staying with me," she said as she pet Ren's face. Momoko looked Ren over and said, "We'll have your clothes taken in and up."

Ren sighed softly. There was no arguing with her about it. Once Mori Momoko had an idea in her head there was no changing it. "Very well," Ren muttered.

XXXXXXXX

Momoko grinned and dragged her out of the house and to several shops. They bought clothes (that they didn't need), jewelry (that they _really_ didn't need), and groceries (that they desperately needed). Ren was stuck carrying a lot of the bags. She was exhausted when they got back to the house but Momoko was still quite energetic.

"Ready to go, Asuka-chan," Momoko asked with a bright smile on her face after everything was put away. Ren had a hard time picturing her sad most times. She had seen glimpses of it but most times Mori Momoko was cheerful and light-hearted.

"I am," Ren said weakly. She really just wanted to go to bed but knew she couldn't. Ren followed Momoko to the door and slipped on her sandals before they headed out. They went to a little restaurant that sold everything from sushi to ramen.

The two were seated at a table to await their companions. Momoko ordered green tea for them both and the waiter took his time bringing it. "I just know you're going to love Yoshihiro. He's a very charming boy, only a few years older than you. Tamotsu always speaks very highly of his little brother," Momoko said to make conversation.

"Tamotsu is like your older brother, ne? Are you sure he is not interested in you," Ren questioned. She was just trying to tease Momoko.

"I am very interested in her," a gruff male voice informed her.

Momoko blushed and Ren turned to see a man with dark hair and blue eyes staring at the two of them. He seemed to be about 30 and he was quite handsome. Beside him stood a younger man, about Ren's age, with the same dark hair and blue eyes. Ren blushed too.

"It is good to see you, Momoko-san," Tamotsu said as he lowered himself into the seat next to Momoko. "You must be Kato Asuka. You are far prettier than Momoko-san gave you credit for," he turned his attention to his handsome brother and said, "This is Yoshihiro, my brother."

Ren decided that Momoko must have not thought as highly of her previous companion as she did Ren. She was always complimenting her. Ren didn't see herself as pretty, but Momoko always argued. She said nothing about his comment.

"It's nice to meet you, Asuka-san," Yoshihiro said as he bowed.

"It's nice to meet you too, Yoshihiro-san," Ren lowered her head in respect as well.

Ren didn't see the look that Momoko gave Tamotsu. If she had she would've blushed. They were both smiling mischievously at each other. When Yoshihiro sat next to Ren she pulled nervously at the hem of her tunic. She was bad with new people.

"How have you been, Momo? You were gone a very long time," Tamotsu asked as he stared at Momoko.

"I've been wonderful. Asuka-chan and I had a great time traveling around. It almost didn't feel like work. I wish we could have enjoyed each place more, though. I'd of loved to have bought gifts and trinkets. Sadly we were traveling lightly."

"You would have needed 20 carts if you had your way," Tamotsu teased.

Ren turned her attention from the playful bantering and onto Yoshihiro. He was staring at her like she was a brand new invention or something. She shifted and crossed her legs, careful not to bump the table with her knee. "You have very odd eyes, they remind me of moonstones," Yoshihiro told her kindly.

Ren's cheeks flushed for a split second then she paled. She reached up to touch her face and shuttered. She hadn't realized she didn't have her sunglasses on. She started to sweat slightly. Hopefully no one here had seen a Hyuga before. She swallowed the lump in her throat but it took a lot of work to get it down. "Th-thank y-you," She said quietly. She wouldn't meet his gaze now. How could she be so stupid?

"You're welcome," Yoshihiro told her, his tone remained kind. He stared at her for a short time while she stared at her tea cup. "So you're Momoko-san's cousin? I can see some similarities. Your eyes are shaped the same and your lips are similar."

Ren held her breath as soon as he mentioned Ren being Momoko's cousin. She relaxed slightly after he said he saw some similarities. "Hai. I'm her third cousin," Ren informed him. According to the birth certificate she was using, this was true. "Y-you look a-almost exactly like your brother," she pointed out.

"Yeah but I've got a better personality," Yoshihiro said with a grin.

"You wish," Tamotsu muttered.

Momoko laughed and Ren smiled weakly. Things would certainly be interesting here in Kusa. She missed home, but maybe things couldn't be so bad. Fun and laughter seemed to follow Momoko around like a lost puppy dog. Things could definitely be worse. Ren hoped everything was going alright for Gaara.


	7. Ch 6: Home Is Where The Heart Is

**A/N:** Hello mon chers (my dears)! I'm posting this a day early... because i'd like to try to get the next chapter of Aftermath (Trigun FF I'm writing) out tomorrow too! I want to thank all of you who read this story. I really appreciate you guys so much. I love you all! So that everyone knows I've not seen Shippuden yet... I'm on episode 6 and have no intentions of going back anytime soon! Some of the stuff may be a little iffy... I worked hard on this though. I hope you all enjoy it. Just a heads up... there's a lemon down at the bottom... I'll give you a warning before it for those of you who aren't into lemons... (Though I don't know why you're reading a story rated M if you aren't...) but it's kind of awkward to be like "begin smut" and "end smut" y'know? Anywho I will do it for you guys because i love you! Don't forget to review.

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Chapter Six:

Ren spent three months watching Tamotsu flirting with Momoko. He'd bring her flowers, have dinner with her, and was always checking in on her. Momoko was oblivious to the fact that he was truly interested in her but Ren could see it. She swore he was just being a good friend. Ren stood with her hands on her hips one evening after Tamotsu and Yoshihiro had left. She had had enough. She was 5 foot tall and so she did not look very intimidating at all. Momoko sat sipping her green tea.

"Momoko-san," Ren said to get her attention. Momoko looked at her so she continued, "Tamotsu-san really likes you. You know that right? The man is always going out of his way for you."

"He's a good friend, he takes good care of me just like Tadashi asked him to," Momoko replied and took another sip of her tea. She seemed so indifferent. It was a strange sight for Ren. Momoko wasn't bubbly or smiling like usual.

"I see the way he looks at you," Ren's voice and eyes softened. She hadn't wore her sunglasses in three months, now her emotions and thoughts were on display. "He really loves you, Momoko-san. He may have started out doing it because your husband asked him to but now he does it for him and because he cares about you. Yoshihiro-kun and I were talking, Tamotsu-san wishes you could see what you mean to him. He's been complaining to Yoshihiro-kun for a long time."

Momoko was silent for a moment before asking, "Why would he like me? I'm just a dumb widow trying to keep her husband's business afloat. I have no unique qualities about me. Sure I'm a pretty face but I'm nothing more than that. I'm nothing special without all my money and title."

It suddenly made sense to Ren why Momoko turned down men. They would use her for her money. "You are very special. You're the kindest, most caring person I've met. You try to help everyone and you are a great singer. Your songs always lift everyone's spirits. You're also one hell of a painter," Ren told her softly. Momoko had painted several of the paintings that hung within the house. "How long have you known Tamotsu-san?"

"Since I was 14," she said quietly. Ren could practically see her mind working through the fact they had known each other 15 years, just over half her life. Momoko smiled slightly and so Ren felt like she was making progress.

"And you think he cares if you have money or not? He seems well off too, you know. I doubt that he'd spend so much time and effort just for money. He seems like a very nice man. He tries to pamper you. He brings you things to make you happy. He spends hours with you. He's always here to pick you up when something goes wrong."

"I know," Momoko muttered as she bit on her right thumb. She was clearly thinking deeply. That pleased Ren. At least she was fully considering it now. "I like him, I do, but I just don't want to be hurt. I felt like I died when Tadashi did. I don't want to feel like that again; not when I'm just now getting back to my old self."

Ren sat beside Momoko and wrapped her arms around her shoulders. "You can't live life worrying about being hurt. If you never put yourself out there you'll never experience anything. If you don't let anything happen, nothing will. Don't make yourself lonely because of the past. Tadashi-san would want you happy. Maybe it's time to move on, ne?"

Momoko wrapped her arms tightly around Ren's waist and placed her head against her shoulder. She nodded against Ren's shoulder as she whispered, "You're right. I suppose it is time to move forward with my life. He would want me to live my life and find new happiness. Tamotsu does make me happy."

Ren smiled and gently rubbed Momoko's back. It was funny that this woman was 12-13 years older than Ren and yet she was the one doing the mature talking. Ren didn't mind though, it was nice knowing she was helping. Momoko always did so much for her. Ren questioned softly "Do you like Tamotsu-san?"

"I do… I really do." Momoko smiled at Ren weakly and a small blush formed on her tan cheeks. She was just too kawaii! Ren nearly let out an excited squeal but kept her composure.

"Then we have to plan a date for you two," Ren said enthusiastically as she released Momoko. Ren clamped her hands together and began planning in her head. She wouldn't squeal or dance around but her excitement was still visible.

Momoko laughed and nodded, clearly feeling better. "But it'll have to be a double date!" She flashed Ren one of her mischievous smiles.

"What" Ren exclaimed and now her pale cheeks were pink. She knew exactly who she'd be going on a date with. Was she ready for a date? She'd never been on one. "Momoko-san, I don't know if that's a good idea," Ren muttered as she stared at the ground. She was over her stuttering but not completely over her shyness.

Momoko lifted her chin so she was looking into her face. "How else would you guard me," Momoko asked with a perfectly shaped brow raised.

Ren knew it was a trap. She'd have to do it. She would be going on a date with Yoshihiro. Her first date. She should've been more excited but all she felt was uneasy and nervous.

XXXXXXXX

Momoko wore a long red kimono with black outlines of koi and a black obi was tied in a bow over her stomach. She looked radiant. Her sandy blond hair hung loose and reached her shoulder blades. The long sides of her fringe were pulled back and clipped at the base of her head with a black bow. It was a nice change from her usual up-dos. She looked simply beautiful. She was sitting at a table across from Tamotsu. He was wearing a plain dark-blue haori top with gray hakama pants.

Ren could see them perfectly from where she sat. She was wearing a lavender kimono that gradually became darker. It was a rich violet at the bottom. She wore a violet obi that was tied in the back. Her raven hair was pulled up into a twisted up-do that Momoko had spent an hour or more on. It had colorful flower clips holding it in place.

Her date, Yoshihiro, had his back to Momoko and Tamotsu. He was wearing a green haroi and black hakama. His outfit accented his dark hair well and made his sky blue hues shine. He really was gorgeous. He had a proud nose, perfect lips, and adorable dimples when he smiled. Ren had a hard time keeping her eyes on Momoko and off of his eyes. "You seem very distracted," Yoshihiro commented as Ren nearly dropped her sushi for the third time.

"No, not at all. Ano, I'm just worried about Momoko-san," Ren told him apologetically. She chewed on her bottom lip feeling terrible. Yoshihiro was being very kind to her, just like he always was, and she was ignoring him. He was going out of his way to try to make her happy and she wasn't paying him any attention.

"She's fine. My brother really loves her and will take good care of her. She's the apple of his eye. Don't worry so much, she's in good hands," he told her softly as he reached out to put his large hand on her smaller one. The size difference didn't bother Ren though. Kankuro had the biggest hands she'd ever seen for a guy her age, so Yoshihiro's were nice.

Ren's heart started to beat faster and her skin tingled as he rubbed his lightly-calloused fingers across her smooth skin. She hadn't trained much in quite a while so the roughness of her own hands was near gone. "You're right," She said with a small smile as she brought her eyes back to his. He was so handsome! "I'm sorry that I've been so distracted. I'm having a really nice time."

Yoshihiro flashed her a genuine smile that caused his dimples to form. That smile made her heart feel like it was melting. "I'm really glad to hear that, Asuka-chan. I'm having a lot of fun, even if you are distracted."

Ren's mind felt a red flag go up. 'Asuka-chan'. Ugh! She wanted to go back to being Ren. She wanted to be at home with her mother and Gaara. She bit her lip. She wanted to go home to Gaara? How strange. She wished she could tell Yoshihiro her real name. Then maybe she could allow herself to feel something for him other than friendship.

"And so then I asked 'what do you mean 50 ryo? The sign said 40!' And then he got all snappy because he knew I was right." He said as he laced his fingers with hers. She hadn't even heard most of the story.

She smiled and blushed slightly. She felt so embarrassed that she hadn't been paying attention. She pushed Gaara and thoughts of home to the back of her mind and spent the rest of the date trying to focus on Yoshihiro's funny stories. It would be so easy to fall in love with him, if she wasn't having to pretend to be someone she's not.

XXXXXXXX

Momoko, Ren, Tamotsu, and Yoshihiro went on several double dates over a 6 month period. They were all quiet and enjoyable. Yoshihiro had tried to kiss Ren several times but she always rejected him kindly. She hated the look of disappointment that would wash over her face but kissing him didn't feel right. She was pretending to be Kato Asuka. She knew she could be leaving at any time and going back to being Hyogo Ren. She didn't want to abandon Yoshihiro like that. She couldn't fall for him and then leave so she kept her distance, no matter how much she enjoyed his company.

Yoshihiro was currently avoiding Ren, claiming she broke his heart. She knew full well she had. She wasn't feeling too cheerful herself. She did really like him but she knew she wasn't in love with him. 6 days ago had been hell for her.

_"__I think I'm in love with you, Asuka-chan," Yoshihiro said while they were standing outside of Momoko's front door holding hands. He dipped his head down to try to kiss her. Ren's heart was pounding hard against her ribs. She thought about letting him kiss her. Part of her wanted to. She couldn't do that though. She couldn't kiss him and possibly feel something for him. She wouldn't allow her heart to break when she left._

_"__I can't do this," She whispered and pulled her hands free as she took a step back. She didn't fully understand why but even the idea of kissing him felt wrong. She decided at that moment that she could've been living here forever and it still would feel wrong. It felt like she was betraying someone, but she couldn't decide who._

_"__Asuka," Yoshihiro pleaded as he tried to close the gap between them. _

_Ren backed up to the door and opened it. "I'm really sorry Yoshihiro. I just can't do this. You're so sweet and so kind but we aren't meant to be together," She muttered. Before he could respond she was in the house with the door closed behind her. She pressed her back against the door and slid down it. She buried her face into her hands and had to remind herself to breathe. _

Ren was punching a tree in Momoko's back yard when Momoko came out. "Ohayo, Asuka-chan," Momoko chimed as she walked up to Ren.

Ren punched the trunk of the large tree one more time to finish the set then turned to stare at Momoko. "Good morning, Momoko-san. I hope I did not wake you up. I know you had a late night last night so I was doing my best to be quiet," Ren told her honestly. She had been trying to be quiet, which was why the tree's bark was still intact.

Momoko smiled sweetly at Ren. She was practically glowing with happiness. It was nice and Ren found it difficult to be upset when she was around Momoko. It was that way even before she started dating Tamotsu. Now that they were together there was no being upset. All of Ren's anger dissipated, something even training couldn't do for her today.

"You didn't. I have a meeting with a businesswoman from a nearby village. She is interested in Tadashi's facial cleansers. I have been meaning to expand the locations that it's sold in but never got around to it. I'm hoping we can come up with some agreement about it and the other products that Tadashi had been developing." Momoko's voice was excited and optimistic.

"When is the meeting," Ren asked kindly. She didn't feel like she had time to listen to more about the products. Ren had been using them since she arrived. Her hair was healthier than ever, her nails were strong and grew out quickly, her face was blemish free, and her skin was soft. She knew full well that Tadashi was a genius when it came to beauty and hygiene. The world had truly lost out when he died.

"We need to leave in about two hours. I wanted to give you time to finish up here, bathe, and grab some breakfast with me. Before you go back to your training though," Momoko bit her bottom lip, like she was trying to figure out how to word what came next. She released her lip from between her teeth and clamped her hands together in front of her body. "Tamotsu asked me to marry him. I said yes. We're going to get married in 6 months' time. I would like for you to be a witness, my maid of honor. I wanted to tell you now because I do not know if there would be time later today."

Momoko's smile was radiant and showed off her perfectly white teeth. She was really happy. Ren couldn't bring herself to remind her that she may not be there in 6 months. Ren returned Momoko's smile with a gentle one of her own. She was truly happy for Momoko. Everything that happened with Yoshihiro was no longer eating away at her. It all felt so distant. She could feel nothing but love and happiness while staring at Momoko. "I'd love to do that for you," Ren told her sweetly.

Ren realized her voice had lost its flat tone before they had even arrived in Kusagakure. Suddenly Gaara felt like he was from a different life. She had been writing to him monthly mission reports and received replies from him. They mostly were things like "keep up the good work" (in his own words) and "everything's fine". She knew she wouldn't be getting anything out of Gaara to indicate what was going on in Suna; perhaps that was for the safety of Sunagakure.

Ren thought about Sunagakure a little less each day. That hurt. She made a silent promise to herself to make sure she spent time meditating and remembering home each day from then on. She still was thinking about Temari, Naoma, and Gaara often but she needed to do that with Suna too. She didn't want to forget it. She knew she'd be going home sometime; she hoped sometime soon… Maybe after Momoko's wedding even though that was so far off.

"I'm so happy to hear that! I'll leave you to your training. I know that you probably aren't doing everything you used to do, but keep up the good work. As long as you're practicing in the security of my backyard I don't think we'll have trouble. I'll see you after your bath," Momoko's voice was still so merry. It was really nice. She returned to the house and Ren began kicking the tree.

She really missed having a sparring partner. She missed getting wind blades sliced into her skin when she sparred with Temari. She missed getting hit by wave after wave of sand when sparring with Gaara. She missed running her heart out while Gaara kept track of the time it took. She missed getting the best of Temari or Gaara when they did spar only to have the victory revoked. She missed her mother wrapping any wounds she got. She missed home.

Ren lost count of how many kicks she had done. It didn't matter. She wasn't training hard enough for it to. She just needed to keep using her muscles so she didn't lose everything she worked so hard for. She was no longer trying to improve her speed and stamina, merely maintain them. At least that was the plan for right now. When she got back to Sunagakure that would change. She just had to wait for a letter to arrive calling her home.

XXXXXXXX

The shrine was decorated in fabrics and streamers of cream and green. Cream zabuton (Japanese cushions for sitting) littered the floor for guests to sit on. Roses, carnations, and lilies were everywhere. Candles lit the path down the middle of the shrine to the altar. It all felt very romantic and intimate.

Despite the layout and appearance, this was not to be a traditional wedding. It was to be more modern. No one wore kimonos. Everyone was dressed in black suits and dresses. Tamotsu wore a black suit with a cream vest and a green tie. The pocket of the suit's jacket held a white lily. Yoshihiro was dressed the exact same way except he had a carnation with green tips on the petals in his pocket. The two of them stood at the altar, waiting for the bride.

Ren and Momoko stood behind closed doors out of view. "You look stunning," Ren told Momoko. She was wearing a cream colored gown. It was long and form-fitting until it reached her hips where it hung loosely, she looked like a princess. The dress had no sleeves and the sweetheart bodice accented Momoko's chest beautifully. The beadwork on the dress sparkled under the candlelight. Momoko's sandy blond hair was twisted up into a fancy bun with braids, clips, and beads throughout it. A long veil fell from the base of her bun down to the middle of her back.

Momoko looked at Ren and her plump red lips turned up into a smile. It was beaming and full of hope and love. "You look beautiful too, Asuka-chan," Momoko told her gently, as if more than that would alert the people on the other side of the door that they were ready.

Ren looked at her reflection in the mirror to their left. She was wearing a green dress that came down to her knees. It was also a sweetheart bust and made Ren feel subconscious. Her breasts were too big in her opinion. She usually had them bound tight but since she moved in with Momoko she had been wearing lacy bras that accented her chest instead of hiding it. It horrified Ren. Her dress wasn't tight but it was very form-fitting. "Thank you, Momoko-san. Are you ready to become Yoshida Momoko?"

Momoko's smile grew and she nodded. Right on cue a soft music began to play from the main room in the shrine. Ren extended her arm to Momoko. She slipped her arm through Ren's as the doors opened. Ren's mind wandered to Gaara as they slowly made their way towards the altar. She wondered what he was doing right now. Why did it feel so different to be the girl on his arm than to have her friend on hers? She was escorting Momoko to her future, surely that should make her heart race too.

Ren smiled and gently gave Momoko to Tamotsu. Momoko handed Ren her bouquet of lilies before they linked hands and Momoko began to shed silent tears. Ren took her place behind Momoko holding her bouquet and the ring Momoko would give to Tamotsu. Ren purposely avoided looking at Yoshihiro. He wasn't on speaking terms with her now, so she would avoid his gaze. Today was about Momoko and Tamotsu. It didn't have anything to do with them.

The wedding took forever. Vows were exchanges, sake was shared, rings were given, and it was all sealed with a chaste kiss. Most of the reception passed by with a blur. The first exciting thing to happen was listening to Momoko explaining to an old woman why they weren't going to be going on a honeymoon. Ren knew that it was because Momoko didn't want to seem suspicious; her cousin couldn't accompany her on her honeymoon. The woman seemed to accept Momoko's kind words, "We both own businesses. We cannot leave them and we do not require a honeymoon. Just being with my new husband is like being on a one."

The older woman cooed and offered her congratulations. Momoko and Ren shared a knowing look. People were so easy to convince of anything when you said it with a smile. Ren caught herself smiling and turned her attention to the dance floor. Everyone seemed to be waltzing around with a person of the opposite sex. Momoko had already had her fill of dancing. Ren hadn't danced even once.

Yoshihiro appeared beside her and extended his hand to her. She looked up and nearly flinched when she saw his sky blue eyes on hers. "Dance with me," He stated. It wasn't a question. She bit her lip then took his hand to stand. He led her to the dancefloor and placed one hand on her waist while keeping the other in his hand. She put her free hand on his shoulder and they kept quite a bit of space between them while he led their dance. "I'm sorry for how I've been acting," Yoshihiro told her softly but she could still hear him over the music.

"We've both been acting childish about it," Ren muttered. She didn't want to be having this conversation. She didn't want to be dancing with him no matter how good of a dancer he was. She didn't even want to look at him. He had been pouting because she wouldn't kiss him. She didn't want to be his girlfriend. He was sweet but this wasn't home. She didn't love him. Her opinion on the possibility of being together had changed a lot. She no longer wondered if she was making a mistake for closing her heart.

"I know," He said and pulled her just a little closer, a gap still between them. "I just don't know what else to do. You're beautiful, smart, and captivating. Not being able to be with you hurts."

Ren felt her heart drop into her stomach. She felt like a terrible person. "I like you but not like that. I will have to go home sometime. I don't know when that will be. I don't know if I'd have time to say goodbye even. I do not want to hurt you, Yoshihiro-kun. And…There's someone who already has my heart." She blinked and fought not to widen her eyes. She didn't know where the words had come from. They had come out so naturally though. Were they true? They _felt_ true.

"I kind of figured that out. You always seem pretty preoccupied when I see you and you think no one is watching. I've seen you stare off into oblivion for over half an hour at a time before," he said gently, "I just had hoped I could make you forget him. He must be a great guy for you to care for him so much. Can we go back to being friends then?"

Ren bit her lip and nodded. "I'd love to be friends again," she told him honestly. She could never forget Gaara. The fact that he had wanted her to do so was a little upsetting. Wait... Gaara?! When had that happened? She felt heat rising to her cheeks in embarrassment. "Thank you for the dance," She told him as the song ended. They bowed and he walked her back to her table.

"You feeling okay? You don't look like you can breathe."

"I'm fine," She whispered before taking a slow drink of water. "I just need to sit and think for a little while."

"Then I'll leave you to think," He bowed and said, "I'll stop by tomorrow."

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Today made 4 years. Ren had been away from Sunagakure for 4 years now. She was 20 years old and hadn't seen her mother, Temari, Gaara, or even Kankuro in 4 years. That was hard to swallow. So much had happened during that time. She often heard gossip about the world.

The Akatsuki, a group of S-Ranked rogue ninja, were defeated but not before they extracted Shukaku and almost killed Gaara. She had such a hard time coping with that bit of gossip. She should have been there to protect him. She should have went against orders to save him. The problem was she didn't find out until after he was safe.

A shinobi world war came and went. She was never called in to fight. She wasn't involved. She had to continue being a wolf in sheep's clothing. She was a kunoichi not a civilian. She had wanted to help: to serve her village, to serve her Kazekage. It was more than she could stand. She hated being excluded. Only two pieces of good news reached Ren. One was that Uchiha Sasuke had returned to Konohagakure. She didn't know much about him but it was something the Leaf had wanted for a long time. The second was the recent peace treaties coming into effect.

After 4 years of waiting Ren had had enough and wrote a letter to Gaara asking him to call her home. She also wrote one to Temari. She had needed to express herself to someone. Momoko wouldn't be able to help her with her internal war. Momoko was too busy with her business, husband, and pregnancy. Things were going so well for Momoko that she didn't want to chance bringing her down.

She had sent the letters a few days ago. Now Ren merely had to wait. She hoped she would get a response soon. She wanted to go back to Sunagakure. She couldn't take another year here. She might as well be a citizen of Kusagakure at this rate. She paced her room nervously biting the skin beside her fingernails.

**Meanwhile:**

"Hey Gaara! Did you see this letter Ren sent? I think you should read it if you haven't," Kankuro placed the paper on the desk. He'd just found it laying on the desk outside Gaara's office and decided to read it. Kankuro had covered who the letter was for before giving it to Gaara though.

_I was finally able to convince Momoko-san that writing to you wouldn't be the end of the world. She was against it but I promised to send it coded, like I do with Gaara's mission reports. It's been 4 years since I've seen you! I can't believe it's been that long. I miss our spars and girl days. We need to have one soon. I just want to go home. I hope you're doing okay. I heard about everything that's happened. I'm sorry you guys had to go through all that. I hope Gaara is sleeping now without Shukaku at least. I know that he wasn't before, because of the nightmares. Gaara nearly died during that extraction right? I am so glad he's alive. Things are pretty boring for me. It's strange to be acting like a civilian. I'd of given anything to help my village throughout these past 4 years. Everything that went down feels like it happened on another planet to me. I sometimes feel like Gaara's forgotten that I'm his kunoichi and he can call me in for duty at any time. I feel pretty inadequate. I suppose I should tell you what all has happened. When Momoko-san was dating her husband I had to date his younger brother, so I've been out on dates now! How silly is that? I never really felt anything but friendship for him, though. I never allowed myself to. We haven't been out on a date in about two years however. His name is Yoshihiro. He used to try to kiss me but we decided to just be friends. It works out better this way. I don't feel like I'm betraying anyone by kissing someone else. I know that's silly, but it does feel like I'd be being disloyal. I've realized something about myself throughout all this time. It's not friendship or respect that kept me around your brother. I care for him as a person. I'll never tell Gaara that though. He isn't the type to get caught up in love or anything like that so I won't burden him with my feelings. I guess it's foolish of me to, too. Is it appalling that I miss the way he smells even? Sand, desert lilies, and aloe. It always reminds me of home. Gaara's told me very little in regards to my mother. Could you let me know how she's doing? I really miss her. She probably wouldn't recognize me now. I've grown a lot since I was 16. I'm still short though, only 5'2". It sucks. I can't wait to tell her about all the tress I've seen. I experienced snow for the first time 3 years ago. You were right, it's magical. Did having Nara-san with you when you first saw it make it even more enchanting? I got sick after but it wasn't a big deal. I miss the seasons of Suna though, no matter how amazing the snow is. I miss the sand, the heat, the dryness; I miss it all. How's Kankuro doing? I know he and I haven't been close these past 6 years, but he was my first friend and I still worry about him. Do you know when I'll be coming home? I miss everyone so much. I just want to come home, Temari-san. I'm sorry for waiting so long to write. I apologize for all the questions. Take care of yourself and your brothers! Write back soon._

_Sincerely,_

_Hyogo Ren_

Gaara read the letter. Then he reread the letter. Then he looked up at Kankuro who had a smug smirk on his face. "This letter was for Temari. Why did you have me read it," Gaara questioned.

"Because you needed to see how she feels. I figured if she's not going to tell you face to face, she could tell you this way. She's still my friend, even if I haven't been the best friend in the world. I'd like her to be happy. You knowing how she feels is part of that I guess. Don't make it too awkward for her when she comes home okay? I'd hate you to break her heart. She likes you a lot, Gaara. Let her down easy."

Gaara blinked a few times. His brother was unbelievable. Gaara wanted to strangle him with sand. He could imagine shoving streams of sand down Kankuro's throat through his mouth and nose. How could he possibly hurt Hyogo Ren? Why would Kankuro say he needed to let her down easy? He took a deep breath to calm himself. He wasn't the kind of person to harm others anymore. He just needed to breathe and calm down. He wouldn't kill his brother. He pulled out a blank scroll from his desk and began writing.

"What are you doing?"

"I'm bringing Ren home," Gaara said flatly. He had a lot of thinking to do before she got back. He hoped this wouldn't give him a headache. How did he feel about Hyogo Ren?

XXXXXXXX

Ren took a deep breath. She had entered the Land Of Rivers a few hours ago and was now on her way to meet up with Baki and Matsuri. Ren was excited to be going home but not so thrilled to be carrying two duffle bags filled with clothes as well as her supply pack. She really hoped that Baki would be sweet and carry one of them. Preferably the bigger one. Why had she let Momoko talk her into taking all the clothes they had bought her? Simply because Momoko had cried. She was so sad for Ren to be leaving. Tamotsu and Yoshihiro had told her they would miss her. It was an emotional departure for all four of them. Saying goodbye had been harder than Ren ever imagined it would be.

Ren walked into the inn where she was to meet the Suna jonin duo that would be escorting her home. She looked around but didn't see either of them. The inn smelled like sweat and booze. A few men were staring at her like she was a piece of meat or a trophy. She held her bags a little closer and approached the front desk where a wrinkly old man with a bald head and brown eyes stood. "E-excuse me," she said quietly. She hadn't stuttered the whole time she had been with Momoko. Now she was struggling to get her words out. Maybe it was because she wasn't pretending to be a noble anymore. "I w-was w-wondering if y-you have a room f-for Hyogo R-Ren." Her stutter was back in full force.

The old man looked in the book on the counter and said, "Oh yes, your companions are already in the room waiting for you. Room 3B. Here's your key. It's up the stairs, second door on the left." He handed her a key.

She bowed to him and thanked him, "A-arigato." She took the key and headed up the stairs. She pulled a kunai from her weapon pouch that was strapped to her left thigh before she unlocked the door. She turned the knob and opened it slowly. She relaxed when she saw Baki and Matsuri sitting at the table.

Ren stepped inside and closed the door before putting her three bags down. "H-hey," She said awkwardly to the duo. Matsuri had her brown hair down and it reached her shoulders. Her green eyes were locked on Ren. Baki looked the same as ever: dark brown eyes and a turban that covered his head and the left side of his face. His two stripes on the right side of his face were still quite visible on his tanned skin. She put her kunai away and tucked her hands into her pockets nervously.

"Long time no see, Hyogo-san," Matsuri said with a smile. The brunette stood and walked across the room to Ren quickly then pulled her into a hug. "You've missed so much while you were gone! Everything in Suna is going well now, though. I can't wait to get you home to Gaara-sensei! He's been acting bizarre lately. I think he really misses you."

Ren pulled her hands out of her pockets and awkwardly hugged Matsuri back. She was Gaara's student and one of the people he called a friend. Ren could count the number of times she had met the girl on one hand. It was odd to be hugged by someone she didn't really know. "It's good to see you too, Matsuri-san," Ren told her gently as the girl pulled away.

Ren looked at Baki. He was standing now too. For a second she was afraid the bear of a man would hug her too. Then he held out his rough hand and said, "Welcome back, Hyogo-san." Ren took his hand and stared into his dark eyes for a moment while smiling. He looked the same. He didn't even look any older. Baki' a stern man and could be intimidating but despite his gruff appearance Ren knew how caring he could be. Their handshake was brief. "We'll leave for home first thing in the morning. We should turn in soon."

"Th-that sounds g-great," Ren said quietly. She removed her shoes and walked into the bathroom. She splashed water on her face and felt their eyes on her the whole time. She hadn't bother closing the door because she wasn't doing anything private but now she wished she would have. She dried her face on a towel and returned to the main room. "H-how's my m-mom," Ren asked while staring at Baki curiously. She figured he would know more than Matsuri.

Baki and Matsuri exchanged worried glances. Well, Matsuri looked worried, Baki looked indifferent. Ren felt like her heart as going to stop beating. Matsuri finally spoke, "Well, you see, she wasn't feeling too well about a year ago. They did all kinds of tests on her. She has cancer. I'm not sure what kind but she seems to be doing okay. She's lost a lot of weight and looks so tired, but the doctors have been doing everything they can for her."

Ren felt like she had been punched in the gut, kicked in the face, and then spit on. She sat down on the nearest object, which was the coffee table. She felt like she couldn't breathe. She placed her right hand over her chest to beg it to relax. "She's recovering, Hyogo-san," Baki told her kindly. "You'll get to see that for yourself soon. Let's all try to get some sleep and then we'll head home. You can go to your house without reporting to Gaara right away. He's already said you have a few days before you need to give your final report on this mission."

Ren nodded and found her way onto one of the three futons and closed her eyes. She still couldn't breathe. She couldn't form any thoughts other than "my mother is dying". Ren's whole world felt like it was crumbling down. She cried silently with her back to Matsuri and Backi. Matsuri laid in the middle and Baki on the far right. Ren didn't know when she dozed off but her dreams were full of her mother.

XXXXXXXX

When Ren stepped into Suna she took a deep breath. Yes she had been in the desert for the past day and a half, but the smells of home were bliss. She could smell the food from the many restaurants, the desert lilies that littered many people's front yards, and even the sweat from the hard-working people. She was home. She smiled faintly.

"B-Baki-san, M-Masturi-san," She turned to her traveling companions. The trip home had been without incident. She could have made it without them. The trip had been filled with silence and worried glances. No one knew what to say to Ren after the news was out about her mother. She had been very reclusive. "Th-Thank you for everything. I-I'm going h-home now. P-Please tell K-Kazekage-sama that I w-will be to h-his o-office tomorrow m-morning," She told them with little cheer in her voice and a whole lot of stammering.

Matsuri smiled and hugged Ren again saying a quick, "Welcome home." Before she ran off towards the Kazekage's office with her shoulder length brown hair swaying to and fro.

"It is not as grim as you fear," Baki told her in his monotone voice. Ren felt like this _had_ to be a trait found only in the men of Sunagakure. She had traveled around a lot and heard few men that could match Gaara, Baki, and The Fourth in their indifference. Her time away had opened her eyes to how strange that was. "Everything will be alright."

She smiled weakly to him and before she realized it her arms were around his torso and he was patting her head. "Th-Thank y-you, Baki-san," She whispered as she released him with a blush on her face. She had needed to hear that everything would be okay. She didn't know why she had felt the urge to hug him though. Momoko had truly rubbed off on her.

"Take care of yourself," he said awkwardly as he handed her the two bags he was carrying for her, "I'll see you around." He left her there at the gates.

She waved to the two chunin at the gates and then ran the whole way home. She stopped when her rounded house and front door were right in front of her. She took a deep breath and dug into her pocket for her house key.

She didn't have time to put it in the doorknob before the door was flung open and her mother had her frail arms around her. They both burst into tears immediately. Ren dropped 2 of her bags haphazardly on the stone path and wrapped her arms around her mother's thin frame. Ren was still shorter than her mother so she placed her head against her mother's upper chest. Naoma rested her cheek on the top of Ren's head. They both sobbed for a long while.

"I missed you so much, Kaasan! I wanted to write, to come home," Ren exclaimed through sobs as Naoma kissed her temple over and over again.

"I know baby, I missed you too! I'm so glad you're home! Let's get you into the house and we'll catch up," Naoma said gently. Her voice was weaker but it sounded like an angel to Ren.

They separated and Ren picked up her bags before she followed her mother into the house. They both rubbed their eyes dry as they walked in. Very little had changed. The zabuton were different in the sitting room. They were now a navy blue instead of pale brown. There were more pictures on the end table. A few magazines littered the coffee table. The new curtains that hung over the windows matched the zabuton. The small changes didn't matter. It was home and it was beautiful.

Ren sat her two bags down on the floor and slipped off her pack to let it join the other two bags. She removed her shoes and stepped onto the familiar sandstone floor. A small smile formed on her face. "I'm so glad you're home," Naoma said as she disappeared into the kitchen. Ren smiled wider and followed her.

The kitchen was the same and clearly needed new paint. It was starting to peel and was faded. Ren added that to her 'to-do' list, which she just started. She sat at the table while her mother prepared tea. Ren suddenly felt much better. She was still worried about her mother though. Ren looked at Naoma and announced, "I'm so thrilled to be home. I've missed everyone so much."

"You'll have to tell me all ab-," Naoma's words stopped and she nearly dropped the cup she was holding. "Ren," Naoma said quietly, "you aren't wearing your glasses anymore?"

Ren reached up and touched her eyes. She had gotten so used to not wearing them that she hadn't even realized. "I haven't wore them in a long time. In Kusagakure no one seemed fazed by my eyes. I think I left them at Momoko-san's home. I'll need to get a new pair I guess," Ren said with a small frown. She found that she liked not hiding behind the dark shades.

"No," Naoma said with a small smile as she brought the tea to the table on a tray. She could read Ren so easily. She poured two cups as she spoke, "You look beautiful. Those dark glasses hide your beautiful eyes. The world, Suna, everyone: they will all just have to accept you as you are."

Ren smiled and took the cup that Naoma held out for her. "Thank you, kaasan. I like being without them. I don't feel so self-conscious about it now. I know that there are risks with showing off my eyes but I'm willing to accept whatever happens. There was a boy, Yoshihiro, who made me feel pretty; weird eyes and all."

"Yoshihiro?"

"Yeah. He and I dated for about 6 months. Momoko-san was dating his older brother so I went on double dates with them to guard her. He was really sweet and liked me a lot. I wish things could have been different between us. You would have loved him. He was a perfect gentleman," Ren smiled sweetly at the memory. She would exclude all the stuff about him trying to kiss her, giving her the silent treatment for 6 months, and then finally accepting that she didn't love him. "I told him my heart was elsewhere though. It wasn't a lie. My heart was back here in Sunagakure."

Naoma patted Ren's hand then took a sip of her tea. She gave Ren a knowing glance. Ren blushed faintly. Was it that obvious that she had meant a guy? Then her mother said, "Kankuro's a nice boy."

Ren's whole face paled. She shook her head and sighed. "It's not Kankuro that has my heart, kaasan. At one point maybe I did have a school girl crush on him. There are things that can't be taken back though. He threw away our friendship and I don't even know why. I don't really think he and I would ever be anything but friends. Sadly right now we aren't even friends."

Naoma nodded and smiled. "Kazekage-sama then?" Naoma lifted her right brow in curiosity. Ren blushed and stared at her tea. Naoma said a soft "Ah. I thought as much. He's a good boy. He's been through so much and has worked wonders for Sunagakure. But I don't think I've ever seen him interested in anyone romantically though. There were rumors but the elder council claimed they weren't true. You know how people love to gossip. Apparently they thought that his student, Matsuri, was his lover. I think the girl has a crush on him but I don't think it's mutual. At least that's what Temari told me when I asked."

Ren frowned at the idea. That girl had just been hugging her. She couldn't have known Ren had feelings for Gaara though. Ren hadn't even truly known until she was too far away to do anything about it. Would she do anything about it now? She hoped that her feelings weren't developed for something stupid; a way to have kept Yoshihiro at bay. She wanted her feelings to be real, even if they would never be reciprocated.

Naoma chuckled a little then began coughing. Ren put her cup down and rushed over to rub Naoma's back. "I'm fine dear. I'm improving. You should have heard me a year ago. It was awful. Don't give me that look." Ren didn't know what look she was giving her mother. It must have been one of worry and concern. She would have to work on schooling her expressions again. 4 years in Kusagakure made her into a piss-poor kunoichi when it came to being stoic. "I'm fine. Don't worry so much. I'll be back to myself in no time. I'm able to eat and drink without pain. I can sing and dance. I am happy and becoming healthy again."

"Very well, kaasan," Ren said as she returned to her seat. She took a long drink of her tea. She didn't care that it burned her mouth a little. The green tea blend her mother used was so much better than Momoko's gourmet blends. Maybe that was because this tasted more earthy and raw. She loved it and savored the flavor.

"When you left you only had your backpack. You come home and you have two duffle bags too. What'd you bring with you? Half of Mori-san's house?"

Ren smiled and giggled a little. "Mori-san became Yoshida-san. She got married and is now expecting a baby. They're very happy. I brought the clothes that Momoko-san wouldn't allow me to leave without. I tried to tell her I had nowhere to wear them to but she insisted. The clothes are a little thick for Suna summers. Maybe I'll be able to wear them in winter though. I'll show them to you once we've finished our tea."

"I would really like that. Afterwards you can tell me all about your mission. I can't wait to hear about the Land of Hot Springs."

Ren smiled and nodded. "I'll tell you as much about it as I can."

XXXXXXXX

The next morning Ren stepped into the lobby of the Kazekage's office and looked around. It hadn't changed at all. That was actually surprising. She had expected everything to be different. She frowned internally when she saw Kankuro rushing over to her. "Ren-chan," he called to her with a grin on his face. He was about to grab her up into his arms but she crossed her arms in front of her chest and he stopped. His grin fell and he rubbed his hand through his messy brown hair. "It's good to see you. I missed you."

Ren should have been happy. After all this time Kankuro missed her. She didn't feel happiness. All she felt was annoyance. "You missed me," She asked coldly as she adjusted the hem of her pale green blouse. "Did you miss me when you were avoiding me for two years? Did you miss me all those times when you were too busy making out with your girlfriend to see me coming up to you? Did you miss me when I tried to talk to you and you ignored me? Did you miss me when you shrugged off telling me goodbye?"

Her voice was like daggers into his chest. He took a step back and stared at her. "I know I messed up, Ren, but I did miss you and I am sorry. I know that doesn't fix anything bu-."

"No," Ren interrupted, "It doesn't fix a damn thing. I've spent the last 4 years away from home so forgive me if I'm not in the mood to reminisce about how little our friendship meant to you right now. I really just need to see your brother and Temari. Then I'm going home to spend time with my mother. If you missed me, prove it. I'm not going to tell you how. If you want to be my friend you'll find a way."

Ren didn't give him time to respond before she was at the door to Gaara's office knocking on it. She could hear Kankuro sigh and walk out the front door. She straightened her black mid-thigh length skirt that hugged her hips but wasn't tight. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath as she heard, "Come in," from within the office. She opened the door and stepped into the office. She closed the door and approached the desk. She hadn't stood in this office for far too long.

"It's good to see you again, Hyogo-san," Baki said gently from beside Gaara's desk. He was standing there holding a scroll and Gaara was seated in his chair, elbows on his desk, with his face in his hands. He looked up at her from between his fingers. His blue-green eyes met her white ones.

She swallowed the lump in her throat and willed her heart to slow down. "My mission was a success. No attempts were made to take Yoshida-san's life and she is doing quite well back in Kusagakure," She said in the most official tone she could muster without stuttering. Gaara said nothing and their eyes remained locked. She felt like she had to say something, anything. "I'm happy to be home now, Kazekage-sama."

Gaara tore his eyes from hers as if it was the hardest thing in the world to do. He sat up and looked to Baki who nodded. He sat the scroll down and exited the room, closing the door behind him. Gaara stood and walked around his desk to lean against it with his arms crossed. "You were promoted to jonin in your absence."

Ren felt the urge to run into his arms, even if they were folded in front of his chest. She took a deep breath. She was ecstatic to be promoted to jonin but right now it didn't matter. She had to ask him the question she had wanted to ask for so long. "Why did you send me away? Why didn't you call me back," She whispered.

Gaara had heard though. A flicker of pain flashed in his eyes for a split second. "To protect you. I found out that The Fourth's medication he gave to you while you were in your coma contained something dangerous. It was meant to alert Orochimaru if you ever activated your byakugan, something I didn't even know you truly possessed until I found the scrolls. If you attempted to use it, you would be in a great deal of pain. It was the only side effect recorded for the medication. I had to get you away from Sunagakure in case he came to claim you. I wanted you to remain safe. He was a sick creature."

Ren swallowed another lump. She was having a hard time breathing. Orochimaru had wanted her eyes? He wanted her for _something_ at least. She took a shaky breath and felt tears forming in her eyes. She had never even thought about who had created the serum for her recovery. She had trusted The Fourth with her life. She had wanted to devote her life to protecting him. Suddenly the pain she had felt 4 years ago made perfect sense. The rest was confusing. She shook her head slowly, trying her best to comprehend the information. "You thought he would come after me, so you sent me away. To keep me safe," She muttered. It was too much! She felt the first tear fall down her thin cheek. "You sent me away to protect Sunagakure. If he had come to get me, Suna would have been in danger. Please don't try to cover protecting your people with a false personal desire."

Her vision blurred and she heard him move. She saw a blur of white and green step closer to her. She tried to steady her breathing but then he wrapped her up in his strong arms. How could he have ever been the scary child everyone feared? He was so tall with broad shoulders. He had grown to be even more handsome. She dropped her head forward and it collided gently with his hard chest. "I was being selfish. Sunagakure's needs came second when I made the decision to send you with Yoshida Momoko. I am sorry for deceiving you but I had to protect you. Yoshida-san was merely convenient. She truly had been fearful for her life. We made the arrangement to suit us both," He told her in his passive voice.

Ren didn't know why but she wrapped her arms around his torso and cried into his chest. His hand slid through her soft, long black hair that hung loosely down her back. She took a deep, staggered breath and muttered, "I missed you so much, Gaara." She didn't notice that she had forgotten any honorifics. She wouldn't have cared in that moment if she had realized it.

Gaara reached for her chin and gently lifted it so that their eyes met. She blinked away her tears so she could see his blue-green hues inching closer. "I missed you as well," He murmured as if it was difficult to admit. Before Ren could reply his lips were pressed gently against his.

Her first kiss belonged to man that she had hoped would take it. His lips were soft and his touch tender. She never imagined Gaara could be so gentle. She felt like her heart melted into a puddle in her stomach as she returned his kiss. It didn't stay sweet for long though. Ren's left hand made its way to the base of his neck. At that exact moment he did the same thing with his right hand. They were mirroring each other without even realizing it.

Ren's fingers snaked into his unruly crimson hair while Gaara tangled his fingers in her long raven hair. They both pulled the other closer and their sweet kiss became more heated. Gaara parted his lips slightly to brush her bottom lip with his tongue. Instinctively Ren spread her lips and allowed his tongue to penetrate her mouth. He licked every inch of her mouth while she twirled her tongue with his in a passionate dance.

**~LEMON ALERT~**

Ren's mind went hazy and she didn't know who had moved to make it so she was against his desk with his body pressed against hers. She didn't think about it. She didn't want to. She hadn't seen him in 4 years and he was returning her love. Did he love her? He felt like he did. She pulled him closer and gasped against his lips when she felt something hard against her abdomen. A red flag went off in her mind but she pushed it away.

Gaara was having trouble fighting his own desires. He had an erection and she just kept pulling him closer. He was very aware they needed to stop but it had been 4 years since he had seen her. 4 years since he had had the chance to look at her. 4 years since he had heard her voice. He pushed all doubts from his mind and slid his left hand up the outside of her right thigh, pulling up the black skirt mid-thigh skirt that she wore. Did she have to wear something so sexy? It wasn't as if she hadn't been invading his dreams since he was 14 already.

He needed air so he reluctantly broke their kiss and kissed behind her ear and whispered, "I missed you," like it was the only thing he could say. He had missed her. He hadn't realized how much until he saw her standing in front of his desk wearing that damn skirt that showed off her smooth, milky legs. He had been imagining how he would react to her being home. This was not it. Still, he didn't want to remain in control of his desires right now, not when she seemed to be enjoying him letting go. If this was a mistake he didn't care.

He kissed down her neck and he heard her breathing harder. He glanced at her to see her eyes half-lidded with a small smile on her swollen pink lips. That was all he needed to feel his stomach clinch and the erection in his pants to twitch against the fabric of his pants. He unzipped his Kazekage robe and let it drop to the floor. He grabbed her hand and placed it on the bulge in his pants. He wanted her to see what she did to him just by looking at him.

She didn't miss a beat, she seemed as eager as he was because she gave his erection a gentle squeeze that made him groan low in his throat. She unbuttoning the 3 buttons of his pants. They fell to his ankles and he watched her blush because he wasn't wearing any underwear. Gaara didn't blush. He simply admired the pink on her cheeks. He wondered what she was thinking about as she stared at his manhood.

His hands shook slightly when he picked her up and sat her on the edge of his cluttered desk. Luckily all of the paperwork was behind her and he had placed her on a clear space. She pulled her hair free from underneath her and he wondered briefly if she should get it cut. He spread her legs and looked up at her for permission to touch her. She gave a weak nod and he ran his finger down her slit over the fabric of her panties. He watched as she bit her bottom lip and blushed deeper.

He knew he'd have to be gentle but his body ached to shove his member into her. It wasn't like he was experienced in sex. What if this wasn't her first time? He suddenly felt anxious but tried to ignore it. He rubbed her slit with his slender middle finger slowly and she let out a soft moan. He could feel her wetness through the fabric. The left side of his lips twitched as he fought a smirk. He slipped her panties over to reveal her bare mound. Well, when he looked again he noticed she did have a strip of dark hair at the top.

He moved his hips between her legs and stared at her. "Ren can I," he asked. He didn't really want to say what it was he wanted to do. It was pretty obvious. She nodded and placed her hands on his shoulders and squeezed her eyes closed tight. He rubbed the head of his erection between the petals of her flower. He watched as she twitched when he brushed it against the little ball of nerves towards the top of her slit; he'd remember that for later.

Gaara, the boy who had the best self-control in the world, couldn't take it anymore. He had to sheath himself inside her. His body wanted it more than he imagined it would. He positioned himself at her entrance and pushed the head inside. He watched as she inhaled quickly. He knew he needed to go slow but she was squeezing him so much already. He pushed himself in completely in one thrust and regretted it as soon as he felt her hymen tear.

He watched as Ren's face twisted in pain. He wrapped his arms around her waist and held her close while she took deep breaths that brushed against his neck. "I'm sorry," he whispered in her ear while trying to give her time to adjust, "I can stop if you want." He wasn't sure if he could or not. The way her fleshy walls were hugging his erection could become very addictive.

"N-no," She said against his neck, "I don't want you to stop. Please don't stop. I'm okay now." He felt guilty as he watched her turn her head up to look at him. When their eyes met he felt a small sense of pride. She had given herself to him completely without the need for 'I love you'-s. Her eyes showed her love. It didn't need to be said. He pressed his lips against hers and kissed her gently.

Her words had been such a turn on, too. He'd worry about feeling guilty for hurting her later. Right now he had the object of his affection on his desk and he was inside her. She didn't want him to stop. It was quite blissful and felt right, even if he had caused her pain. He pulled himself out mostly and then pushed back in at a painfully slow pace. He heard her whimper quietly and stopped but she wrapped her legs around his waist and he slipped in deeper.

He thrust into her at that snail's pace until he noticed he was slipping in easier and Ren started lightly moaning. They were right in his ear and he found himself thrusting into her at a harder and faster pace. He felt like they were made to do this together. He fit snuggly within her and she was making him feel better than he'd ever imagined. Passion took over and his thrusts became wild. He had to hold her hips to keep her from moving out from under him. She was so warm around him. He caught her lips with his and pushed his tongue into her mouth.

The pleasure was too much. They broke their kiss to breathe but instead of panting it out Ren pulled down the collar of his black turtleneck and bit his neck where it met his shoulder. He groaned and nearly lost it right then and there. She was a biter! Why did she have to be a biter? Why did he _like_ that she was a biter?

Ren moaned from in front of him and before he knew what was happening he felt her walls clamp down on him hard. He thrust one more time and groaned as he spilled his seed into her, their fluids combining. He had meant to pull out but it had been too pleasing to remain inside. He stared into her wide white eyes and opened his mouth to apologize but she cut him off with a small, "its okay."

He nodded and they stayed like that, both afraid to move for fear their muscles would betray them. He breathed hard and pressed his forehead against hers. He tried to find malice in her eyes. He found nothing like that. He found peace, happiness, and love. She smiled at him and kissed him softly.

The door to his office opened but neither of them turned to look. "Hey Gaara, have you seen," Temari's words halted as she stared at her half naked brother with Ren's legs wrapped around him. "Nevermind, she's already here. Uh, carry on." Temari quickly closed her door. Her whole face was red as she pressed her back against the door. She had _not _expected that.

Gaara looked at Ren who was as red as a cherry. He was pretty sure he was blushing now too. "I'm sorry," he muttered, "I should have locked the door. This wasn't exactly planned."

Ren gave a weak laugh and nodded. She buried her face in his chest to hide. "My mom's expecting me soon," she mumbled after a few minutes.

"Have dinner with me tonight," He said flatly as he removed himself from her reluctantly. He felt cold and empty. Ren shivered. Maybe she was feeling the same way too. He reached for a box of tissue and handed it to her awkwardly before picking up his pants. He needed a shower.

"I can't tonight," she said with a frown as she awkwardly wiped away their fluids with the tissue. "I promised kaasan that I would be home for dinner."

Without even thinking about it Gaara said, "Bring her along." He wouldn't mind. He'd met the woman a few times and she was respectful. He didn't feel like it would be a problem.

Ren smiled. Her mother would love that. She stared at the soiled tissues before she threw them into the wastebasket. Was it normal for there to be that much semen? She wouldn't know. She had only bled a little which was comforting. She really hoped Gaara would take out the trash before he had anyone else in there. Maybe he should sanitize the desk too. She would never be able to come in here for missions and look at that desk or the man behind it the same. "O-Okay, I will," She told him as she fixed her clothes.

**End of Lemon**

She brushed her fingers through her disheveled hair and then bit her lip. "Ano," She said quietly then kissed his cheek, "I'll see you tonight." Then she hurried out the door, leaving Gaara with some serious thinking. She had thinking to do of her own. What did this mean? Were they together? Why had they done that?

Thankfully Temari was already gone when she stepped outside the office. Ren prayed to Kami that Temari wouldn't tell anyone. Dinner tonight was going to be uncomfortable. If Temari made any mention of it at the dinner table Ren was as good as dead. Her mother would either kill her or force her to marry Gaara. Ren bit her lip. Marrying Gaara wouldn't be the end of the world. She'd enjoy being his forever. She just wished she knew him a little better.

XXXXXXXX

**A/N #2:** Okay so some of you may be a baby bit confused if you didn't read the lemon part. Basically Temari walked in after the two of them were done, saw 'em, left the room. Gaara invited Ren and her mother to dinner.. and now they both have a whole lot to think about!

**A/N #3: **Arigato is Thank you

Gomenasai is I'm sorry

(O)Kaasan- is mother

Ano- um

I hope this helps! If any of you are getting confused please let me know :)


	8. Ch 7: Once A Door Opens

**Ren Note:** Hello all! Ren here! Okay so it's been decided that since my bestest bestie RaRa is helping me SO MUCH he is the co-author... soooo... You'll get Ren notes and RaRa notes other than just Author notes. I was planning to have this chapter out on Tuesday but i'm so glad I didn't post it. RaRa has helped me improve it a lot! There's a lemon which i will warn y'all about ahead of time like usual. I really hope everyone enjoys this chapter...Now before you jump in... I just want everyone to know that I do not have Cannon Ships. I don't like 90% of them and wanted to have my own. I also plan to maybe make this into a saga? It'll have sister stories that explain the ships i've chose much better (and will throw in some others that won't be covered in this one). I also plan on doing an AU of GaaRen later on... but none of those will happen until this story is over... and I don't see it being over any time soon. I've got about half of Chapter 8 wrote out already so hopefully (no promises) it'll be out on Tuesday like normal. Read, Review, Enjoy! I love you all! Oh... and a big thank you to everyone who's been reviewing!

Chapter Seven:

Ren and Naoma stood at the door to the Kazekage Mansion wearing identical blue long sleeve cocktail dresses. They hung off their shoulders and loosely hugged their bodies, stopping just above their knees. Ren's fit her figure nicely but Naoma's was loose due to her weight loss. They both had their hair pulled up into simple buns. Ren wore black flats and Naoma wore matching blue pumps. They both looked very pretty with a light amount of makeup on. "I still cannot believe I'm dinning with the Kazekage," Naoma said with a smile as they waited for the maid to open the door.

"I'm sure you'll be seeing a lot more of him," Ren said with a blush.

Naoma raised an eyebrow but before she could question Ren about her comment the maid pulled open the doors. "Welcome to Kazekage Manor," the maid said softly as she stood aside to let them in. She closed the door behind them and informed them, "Kazekage-sama and his siblings are already waiting for you in the dining room." She must have saw a look of panic on Ren's face because she added in, "Don't worry, you're not late. Kankuro-san is usually late so Kazekage-sama told him an earlier time. It was shocking to us all that he was on time." The maid, Ren, and Naoma all giggled while they walked through the impressive house. "Here we are," the maid said as she pushed open the door on the right side of the hall.

Naoma and Ren stepped inside the dining room. It was alight with a soft glow from the crystal chandelier that hung above the table. Its walls were a pale yellow and the floor was a dark wood. The table and chairs were birch wood. The chairs had light yellow cushions with swirls of green within it. The table held plates, silverware, glasses, and napkins. In the center of the table was a small arrangement of cacti.

Kankuro and Gaara stood when the two entered. They were both dressed as they usually were. Temari remained seated and wore a black short sleeve dress with a modest neckline. It reached her knees, not that Ren and Naoma could see because of the table. Kankuro pulled the seat next to him out for Naoma and Gaara pulled out the seat next to Temari for Ren. They both sat and had their chairs scooted in.

"Thank you for having us over for dinner. You have a very lovely home, Kazekage-sama," Naoma said as she placed her napkin on her lap. Ren mirrored her mother. She was suddenly quite thankful for her time with Momoko. She knew the ins and outs of table manners. It was still unnerving though.

Gaara stared at Naoma but his gaze was not unkind. "Thank you, this house has been here since The First," Gaara responded flatly.

"We've lived here our whole lives," Temari said after Gaara had finished speaking, "When the Fourth," none of the children had called him father in a long time, "thought we were all old enough to be trained we spent a lot less time here at home. It's nice to be able to relax here. We have a lot of memories in this house." Temari wouldn't mention that most of them were bad.

"Ah yes," Naoma said quietly, "I'm glad this place is a comfort for you. It's truly an honor to be able to lay eyes upon it."

The gizzard and vegetable soup was brought out and sat down in front of each person. In sync everyone picked up their spoon and took a bite. The soup was delicious to Ren. Naoma seemed to be enjoying it as well. Gaara seemed to be thinking a lot. It wasn't like him to eat one of his favorite foods so slowly. Kankuro picked around anything that resembled spinach and Temari ate like a normal person.

Naoma praised everything from the soup to the tea. Temari told her it wasn't necessary and the dinner fell into quiet chit-chat between Kankuro, Temari, and Naoma. Facing the mother of the woman you had just deflowered in your office turned out to be more difficult than Gaara had anticipated. Even still, he was having a hard time taking his eyes off Ren. He silently hoped she would say something. He tried to meet her gaze but she wouldn't look at him.

Ren was doing her best not to look at Gaara. If she did she would blush and wasn't sure what she'd say. Sex with him had hurt at first but the pleasure had been well worth it as had the closeness she had felt to him. She had felt whole with him. She wanted to be close to him but she couldn't do or say anything about it with her mother, Temari, and Kankuro right there.

Naoma had watched Gaara and Ren for most of the dinner. She could tell something was up and was bound and determined to get to the bottom of it after they got home. "Could Ren stay the night with me tonight," Temari asked Naoma. She would have to wait another day before figuring out what was going on because she nodded. She watched as Ren's face light up and Temari grinned from ear to ear. It was nice for Naoma, knowing Ren had a female friend.

Temari had had to break the silence that fell over the table. She couldn't take it anymore. She could see Gaara watching Ren, Ren looking anywhere but at Gaara, and Naoma watching them both. She still felt traumatized for what she had seen. It was like the image was burned into her eyelids and every time she blinked she'd see flashes of Gaara loving Ren. Temari figured that if she asked Ren to stay over, she and Gaara could talk. That was clearly something that needed to happen. Temari would make Ren do some of the things expected of slumber parties but other than that Ren would be able to do whatever with Gaara, as long as they locked the door.

Kankuro was oblivious to everything transpiring at the opposite end of the table. He was too focused on not eating spinach. He had half hoped Gaara would have sat Ren to his left so that Kankuro would be sitting next to her. It had been a long time since he had sat down with Ren and she felt so far away. He'd of had to crawl over the table if he wanted to touch her, not that he did. It felt like he'd be shouting if he tried to talk to her. Temari's sleepover gave him refined hope though. Ren would be sleeping over and that meant he'd see her. He was going to regain her friendship…he had to.

"I've got some clothes you can wear even," Temari told Ren smugly. Ren was suddenly afraid of what Temari would have her wear. "We'll do each other's nails, take those silly quizzes in the magazines, talk about boys," Temari said as she wiggled her eyebrows and Ren blushed bright red. "It's going to be so much fun."

Ren, because her mother was sitting right there, told Temari, "I think that sounds like a lot of fun. I can't wait. I hope you have tomorrow off. It's going to be a long night."

Gaara's right nostril twitched at the mention of Ren sleeping over. Yes he'd love to spend more time with her but he didn't want to share with his loud mouth sister. He felt like he had shared enough with her today because of what she had walked in on. It took everything he had to keep the heat of embarrassment from rising up to his cheeks. What was happening to his control? He stole a glance at Ren. She was happening to his control. Love seemed to be a very dangerous thing.

XXXXXXXX

Kankuro left to walk Naoma home and was to return with some of Ren's personal items. Temari had pushed Ren out of the dining room shortly after the meal was over and Ren had said goodbye to her mother. Temari practically dragged Ren down the hallway and around several turns. All the doors were starting to look alike when Temari finally stopped and opened a door.

"This is my room. Gaara's is to the left, Kankuro's to the right. Don't walk into the wrong room later or you'll regret it," Temari said with a chuckle.

Ren's who face felt hot and she covered her eyes with her left hand. "I can't believe you walked in on that," Ren muttered, "I can't believe we even did _that_."

Temari walked into her room. Its walls were covered in light purple fabrics. The bed was circular and covered with at least 10 pillows of red, gold, purple, and black. Ren felt like she'd stepped into a princess' room. There were pictures hanging on the walls and cluttering the dresser. Some were of the Sand Siblings in their younger days; others were of their parents. A few of the pictures had Baki in them as well. Temari had several decorative fans scattered around the room. Temari shut the door as soon as Ren stepped inside. "Okay, spill. How _did_ that happen?"

Ren groaned and rubbed her eyes. "Ano, well, you see," Ren was trying her best to come up with an explanation. She clamped her hands together and squeezed until her knuckles were white. "I," Ren began to pace over the plush red rug at the foot of Temari's bed, "I gave my mission report. He explained why he sent me away. I was crying and then he… kissed me." Ren bit her bottom lip.

"Okay so he kissed you. That doesn't explain how a kiss became _that_. I never thought Gaara would have sex. I certainly never imagined I'd _walk in_ on him having sex. I know he had asked Kankuro about it after you had left but I always thought he had an interest in someone else," Temari flung herself down on her bed.

"I guess the kiss just got more," Ren paused trying to think of the right word, "heated. I didn't think about what we were doing. My body just reacted and I was more than willing. Do you think it was a mistake? I mean," She sighed even though she was smiling and blushing, "I'm not anything special."

Temari sat up and glared at Ren. "Do you have any idea what Gaara was like when you first left? Kankuro and I had to tread carefully because he was so irritable. He mellowed back out after everything was said and done but he never seemed happy. Today, after you left, I think his step may have actually been a little bouncy," Temari informed Ren with a smirk, "You're a prize catch, never doubt that. Now then, let's get you all dolled up for him."

Ren couldn't help but blush more. She looked at herself in Temari's vanity mirror and sighed. She didn't think she looked that bad, at least not for being herself. "What are you going to do," Ren asked quietly.

Temari got off her bed and started shuffling through her closet. She pulled out a light blue silk nightgown that would barely reach the middle of Ren's thighs. Thin strips of fabric would hold it up. Ren's whole face heated up when she saw it. "Before you say no, it's not optional," Temari stated when she saw the look on Ren's face.

Temari pulled the seat of the vanity out and patted it for Ren to sit on its gold cushion. Ren sat down cautiously. She was at Temari's mercy. Temari untied Ren's hair and let it fall down her back. "Would you like me to cut some of this," Temari asked as she ran a brush through it.

"I'm not sure. I really like it long but it's not good for missions. Do you think you could cut it so it's at the small of my back? I know that's taking a lot off, but I could do more with it on missions," Ren responded gently.

"I think I can manage that," Temari said as she retrieved a pair of scissors from a dresser drawer.

Ren held her breath while Temari cut. She felt like her life was in Temari's hands. She trusted Temari would do a good job, but this was her hair. She hadn't had anything done to it other than trimmed her whole life. Now she was having a good 5 inches or more cut off it.

Temari brushed her hair after setting the scissors down and smiled. "It doesn't look much different but now it's not going to be tickling your butt crack," Temari said with a chuckle.

Ren giggled a little and blushed. She had experienced that for so long that it no longer fazed her. "That much is true," Ren said as she stood. She twisted and turned to look in the mirror. "Wow Temari," Ren said quietly, "You did an amazing job."

Temari beamed and pointed to the cushion. "We aren't done yet. We've got to get you ready to see Gaara." Temari painted Ren's nails black, curled her hair, put a light amount of eyeliner and mascara on, and was adjusting the nightgown when there was a knock on the door. Temari sighed and opened the door enough to see Kankuro standing there.

Kankuro's mouth was open wide enough a swarm of flies could have fit in it. "Whoa," he muttered. Ren was so embarrassed that she retreated into Temari's personal bathroom. She didn't hear anything until she heard Kankuro scream, "Ow, Temari. It's not my fault you didn't block the doorway better!"

"Baka! I can't help it that you're taller than me! Go, shoo! Forget what you saw," Temari's words were like venom and the door was slammed shortly after. Temari looked in at Ren and smirked. "Well, at least we know the nightgown works. Kankuro walked away pitching a tent." Temari could barely contain her laughter long enough to speak. She was bent over clinching her stomach laughing hysterically.

"Th-that's n-not th-the one I w-want to n-notice," Ren sputtered out. She was getting a lot better with her stuttering but she was so embarrassed there was no helping it. She wanted to disappear. She was horrified.

"I know," Temari said after her laughter died down and she wiped her eyes free of the tears. "I'm sure Gaara will react the same way. He may have control over his emotions and how much he shows them, but I think today shows he's not as in control as his body as he'd like to be. It's kind of nice, the idea of him just letting go."

Ren nodded. She would love to see Gaara relaxed and acting like an 18 year old. She wasn't sure how any of this had anything to do with that, but she didn't mind. She had decided she loves Gaara and that was reason enough. She smiled weakly. "Are you going to tell me about your man," Ren asked with a raised brow.

"Another time, right now I want you to go talk to Gaara. Oh," Temari grabbed a matching silk robe and handed it to Ren, "here, just in case Kankuro's still lurking about. Also, don't forget to actually talk to him. Don't leave yourself questioning things. He'll answer everything honestly. "

Ren took the robe and slipped it on before securing it in place with the belt around her waist. Temari gave her a once over and then gave her a thumbs-up. Temari had Ren out her door and pointing to Gaara's before Ren could thank her or protest.

Ren took several deep breaths to calm her heart. She kept glancing around to make sure no one was watching as she knocked on Gaara's bedroom door. She bit her lip when she didn't hear anything and was about to turn and return to Temari's room when the door opened. Heat rushed to Ren's face and she took a step back.

Gaara was standing there in nothing but lounge pants. His body was nicely defined. He was very muscular. Ren had to remind herself to breathe. It was one thing to feel muscles, another to see them in all their glory. "Are you alright, Ren," Gaara asked as he came out of the bedroom. The closer he got the more she froze. She had given herself to him. Why was she being so shy now?

Gaara was confused by the display. Ren was wearing a silk robe and knocking on his door yet looked like a doe caught in a bright light when he opened it. He knew he wasn't exactly dressed. She had seen below the belt so he didn't get the difference. He turned his gaze down the hall to see one of the night maids staring at the two of them. Without much thought, he grabbed Ren's hand and pulled her into his room. He didn't want anyone seeing them right now. He locked his bedroom door and watched as Ren looked around the room.

Everything was blue—The walls, the rugs, the bed. The multiple shades of blue that enveloped the room reminded Ren of water. It was amusing since they were from the desert. Maybe that's why he chose blue. Water was harder to come by where they were so it was to be treasured. She turned to look at him, no longer feeling quite as frozen and unsure. He really was much taller now. He had 5 inches on her easily. A small smile crossed her lips as she stared into his blue-green eyes.

Gaara approached her but their eyes never left each other's. He placed his hands on her cheeks and lowered his head to kiss her. Their lips connected and both felt like electricity surged through their bodies. Gaara pulled on the silk strap that was holding the robe closed and let the robe fall open. He stared at her while she bit her lip, both their hearts pounding wildly in their chests. This time he would take his time with her. He would explore her body and let her explore his. He was going to know every inch of her by the end of the night.

XXXXXXXX

Ren laid with her head against Gaara's shoulder. Her right arm was behind her and the left was draped over his well-toned torso. They were both sweaty and naked. She had her eyes closed and Gaara's fingers massaged her scalp as her ran his fingers through her raven hair. "What am I to you," She murmured sleepily. She couldn't let sleep claim her until she knew the answer to that. Temari had told her to ask him questions and she needed to know. They had had sex twice now. She was in his bed and he wasn't trying to force her out of it like she had heard some men did. He seemed just as content as she was.

Gaara was quiet for a while and Ren wondered if he had fallen asleep. She lifted her head slightly to see that his eyes were on the ceiling. He appeared to be thinking pretty hard because where his brows would be was furrowed. "You're mine," he told her flatly. Ren wasn't sure what that even meant. She wasn't property that could be bought or sold. She loved him and wanted to be with him always. She was about to voice her disapproval in the way he claimed her but he looked at her and added, "And I am yours. I believe that we would be considered boyfriend and girlfriend."

Ren's heart melted into a puddle in her stomach and she smiled as she settled back down, using his shoulder as a pillow. "You know you'll need to take me on real dates," she said with a giggle, "it can't be all love making."

He turned his head to stare at her better—Her dark hair, white eyes, her button nose, her thin jaw, her slim cheeks. She reminded him of an angel. "We'll go out as soon as I get a day where I'm not buried up to my eyes in paperwork. Our escapades today put me behind and I have a lot of work to do to prepare for the Hyuga-Uchiha honeymoon party."

"Hyuga-Uchiha? Didn't he just return to Konoha about a year ago," Ren asked. She was so sleepy but wanted to keep the conversation going. She wanted to know more about what he had to handle as the Kazekage. Hopefully someday she would be the wife to the Kazekage; someday in the slightly distant future.

Gaara suddenly felt like he may have said too much. Then again he knew he could trust Ren. She was very loyal. "Apparently Hyuga Hinata caught the interest of Uchiha Sasuke. He began courting her a few months after he returned home. I'm uncertain of the details. They will be staying here for a month. Hyuga Hiashi and Hanabi will be enjoying a shorter stay here during that time. Hiashi-san has a proposal for me that he will only discuss in person. I do not have a good feeling about it," Her muttered.

Ren didn't have a good feeling about it either. She was uncomfortable with the idea of 3 Hyugas being in Suna for that long. She would have to start wearing sunglasses again or hope for a long mission where she wouldn't have to deal with them. "That is unsettling to me," Ren sighed, "I'll be having to hide away or something. Kaasan never told them about me and I don't want that seal. From what I've heard it's excruciatingly painful and they can use it against you." She frowned and snuggled against Gaara's shoulder.

"I'm not going to let them brand you. You're a citizen of Suna. They cannot touch you without risking a war. I do not believe they would be so foolish," He said before kissing her forehead, right where the seal would be if she had one. "Rock Lee will be accompanying them. He's to be one of their bodyguards. There will be others on the mission as well but it will be your chance to meet him."

Ren smiled at that thought. She'd wanted to meet her long distance sensei for a long time. "Do you think we could start training again soon," She asked quietly, "I've not been doing much. I kind of couldn't without drawing attention to myself."

Gaara stared into her eyes, studying the silver tint to them. "I'll do my best. Temari may be willing if I cannot. I will try to make time, though."

Ren offered a small smile before closing her eyes. She just couldn't stay awake anymore. He was so warm it was intoxicating. She sighed contently and told him, "Goodnight, Gaara."

He kissed her forehead again and whispered, "Goodnight, Ren," against her forehead. He closed his eyes and inhaled the scent of her shampoo. She smelled like lavender and apple blossoms. She used to smell like lilies. He was happy with either scent, so long as it was her.

XXXXXXXX

"So, I haven't seen you in a few weeks," Temari said as she circled around Ren. They were standing in the training grounds but neither had a weapon drawn. "From what I've heard you just got back from a mission. Let's go get our nails done or something. Just because we're kunoichi doesn't mean we can't have fantastic nails," Temari smirked.

"Sorry I haven't been around much," Ren said as she watched Temari stop. "I've been on several missions. Usually deliveries. Gaara's keeping me busy running around. Well, it's not just me. How was Konoha?"

Ren and Temari linked arms and headed to Suna's only salon. Neither girl went there for anything but to have their nails done. "It was amazing," Temari said with a grin, "Shika asked me to marry him. You would not believe what all goes into marrying someone from another village. Allied Shinobi Forces or not, it's a real pain. I'm going to have to move there because Shikamaru's the heir to his clan. The Fifth Hokage is trying her best to make it as easy as possible but Gaara's not so keen on the idea. He likes Shikamaru, though he won't admit it, but he doesn't like the idea of me living so far away."

Ren nodded. She could understand that. "I can see where he's coming from," Ren said gently, "But if Shikamaru makes you happy he'll come around. He just needs to be reminded you need your own life too. He's very mature for 18 and doesn't need people holding his hand, no matter what he thinks." Ren giggled a little. "Although sometimes I'm really glad he's got you to give him directions."

They went into the salon and were seated side by side to receive manicures. "I swear sometimes he and Kankuro are just dumb. Gaara's so thickheaded that he doesn't always get simple things. Kankuro's just a baka."

Ren laughed and nodded. "Yeah they are but we love them anyway, ne? Tell me more about Nara Shikamaru. What's he like?"

"Well," Temari paused, "He's lazy, thinks men are better than women, and likes to call everything that requires any effort troublesome." A smile spread across Temari's face that Ren couldn't even begin to understand. That all sounded bad. "He's also sweet, brilliant, and can be quite charming when he wants to be. He's a simple guy who says what he wants instead of making me guess. He's honest and trustworthy. He'll go above and beyond for the people he cares about and can put up with my abrasiveness."

Ren smirked a little. He suddenly sounded perfect for Temari. "Surely you're not abrasive," Ren teased and giggled. Temari laughed. "You can be a little rough around the edges at times, but we both know you're a diamond." Ren winked playfully.

They both grinned at each other. "So how are things between you and Gaara," Temari asked quietly. They were in public and the relationship itself as still on quiet terms so hushed voices would be of utmost importance since Temari clearly didn't want to wait to have this conversation.

"Well," Ren bit her lip and blushed, "We've been out on dates almost every day we're free. He seems to find it awkward but he's trying. I feel like I'm getting to know him so much better."

"That's great. Gaara really likes you," Temari said with a smile.

At that exact moment the seat next to Temari was taken and Ren's face drained of some of its already light color. The brunette turned to the duo and waved. "Hey Temari-san, hello Hyogo-san. Are you two talking about Gaara-sensei," Matsuri asked with a smile on her face. Her green eyes studied the two women in front of her. "How's he doing," She asked curiously.

Ren didn't want to answer, her stomach suddenly knotted. Temari noticed Ren's reluctance to answer and decided that, as his sister, it was her place to reply. "Oh he's much happier now that Ren-chan's home. He's more," She paused to find the right word, "relaxed. He seems very satisfied."

Ren's whole face turned red and Matsuri stared at them in confusion. Ren wanted to scream and cry and hide. She couldn't believe Temari had just said that. "I-it w-was just th-the t-two times," Ren blurted out before she could stop herself. Temari started laughing and Matsuri looked even more confused. Ren had to try to salvage the situation. "A-ano," She started but couldn't find the words to finish.

"Ren's now Gaara's girlfriend," Temari said quietly. If a woman hadn't been painting Ren's nails she may have hit Temari. It was supposed to be a secret. "But that stays between us, right," Temari asked with a brow raised.

Matsuri's mood seemed to change drastically. Ren could practically feel the anger and jealousy rolling off of her even with Temari between them. "Right," Matsuri muttered as she sent death glares in Ren's direction.

Ren and Temari shared glances. They both knew that was a lie. Temari's teal eyes begged Ren for forgiveness so Ren gave her a soft smile. They would talk about it later. When their nails were done and dried the two girls paid and told Matsuri goodbye.

"Wonder how long it'll take for all of Suna to know," Temari asked with a sigh.

"Well, it'll be at least half an hour before she's out of there," Ren said gently, "So I'd say an hour or two." Ren's voice had a hint of amusement to it to try to lighten the mood.

Temari smiled weakly at Ren and apologized, "I'm really sorry. I didn't think she'd react like that. I guess I forgot her crush on Gaara for a second. He's been so focused on you that I forgot he has fan-girls. I'm gonna go see him and let him know. Maybe he'll be able to do damage control with the elders at least."

Ren nodded in understanding. This could turn out to be quite a mess, especially if they found out their Kazekage was sleeping with his girlfriend that they didn't even know about. The daimyo of the Land Of Wind could be quite fickle. Who knew how he would react to such a situation. "I'll see you later then," Ren said as he gave Temari a gentle hug. The two girls parted ways and Ren decided she needed to talk to her mother before word got out. Unfortunately by the time Ren got home Naoma had left for her doctor's appointment.

XXXXXXXX

Naoma still wasn't home by the time Ren was supposed to meet Gaara for dinner so she left her a note and headed out. They were meeting just outside the gates of Suna for a picnic. She left the house carrying a basket full of food, a large green blanket, and a thermos full of hot green tea. She arrived before Gaara so she spread out the blanket and sat down to wait for him. The sun would be setting soon and she couldn't imagine a more romantic date.

The heat from the sand seeped through the blanket and she was glad she had decided to wear her favorite pair of black shorts. She was wearing a blue tank top as well but had brought a black jacket for later, after the sun set it didn't take long for it to get chilly. She laid back on the blanket and stared up at the sky. There were no clouds in the sky.

Ren wasn't sure how long she had lain there before she felt the sand shift around her and heard Gaara sit next to her. She didn't even feel his chakra, which worried her a little. She propped herself up onto her elbows when he muttered, "Sorry I'm late. I had to meet with the elders and it took longer than expected. They were unpleased with what I told them."

Ren raised one of her dark brows and stared at her boyfriend. "What did you tell them," she asked meekly.

"Everything," He muttered and Ren's eyes grew as big as saucers.

_Gaara sat in his chair at the head of the large table surrounded by the elder council. "We have been called to this meeting but we are unaware why," The oldest of the elders stated._

_Gaara had little patience for most of these men. If he could get away with it he wouldn't have over half of them as advisors. He propped his head on his fist and rested his elbow on the arm of the chair. "You are here because I am in a relationship. I wanted you all to hear it from me before rumors spread. Temari has brought it to my attention that Matsuri is aware of my relationship with Hyogo Ren and so it's only a matter of time before the rest of Sunagakure knows." _

_The council was quiet and exchanged glances. Gaara sat there looking like he was bored out of his mind, mostly because he was. Baki cleared his throat and told the others. "Kazekage-sama wouldn't announce anything like this if it weren't a serious, more permanent matter than he's letting on. Right, Kazekage-sama?"_

_Gaara had all eyes on him once more. "Yes."_

_"__What do you plan on doing," One elder asked._

_"__How serious," asked another._

_"__Why Hyogo Ren," a third asked._

_Gaara raised his hand to silence their questions. "I plan on being with her for an eternity," Gaara said flatly. His right nostril flared slightly as the only indication he was irritated. "I care for herj," he admitted stoically._

_Everyone was quiet and stared at Gaara as if he'd grown a second head. _

_"__How serious have you gotten, Kazekage-sama," Baki asked. _

_"__We have had sex." _

_There were hushed whispers amongst them all. Baki's face was pale and Gaara knew full well there would be a lecture following the meeting. He glanced at the clock on the wall. He had the feeling he would be late for his date._

_"__You'll be marrying her then," One of the elders who hadn't spoken yet stated. _

_It wasn't a question but Gaara answered as if it were, "If that is what Ren wants."_

_More whispers followed. The meeting was filled with questions about what Gaara planned to do. He was unable to give many answers; he had no clue if Ren would want to marry him any time soon. He certainly didn't mind the idea of being with her every day. Perhaps it was too soon though. Then again he had already crossed the line of 'too soon' when they had sex right after their first kiss._

"Wh-what do y-you mean _everything_," Ren asked quietly. She hoped he didn't mean everything-everything. She'd die of embarrassment if he told them they had sex.

"I told them that we are dating and have been intimate," He said as if it were nothing. Ren was so embarrassed she nearly cried. She knew her face was red from blushing. "They were not pleased and made their suggestions, none of which matter. I've already decided what I'm doing," He said calmly. Gaara would leave out details about Baki's lecture about birth control and precautions. He was already aware he'd failed do so twice. He wasn't sure how he felt about the chance of Ren becoming pregnant. He decided he would take precautions and worry about the idea of children after they married.

Ren chewed on her lip as she pulled food out of her basket. "What did you decide to do," She asked quietly. She was afraid of the answer and he took a bite of food without answering right away.

Ren had taken out of an apple slice while she waited. It was clear he was trying to decide what to say. "Nothing I hadn't already decided on. We'll stay as we are, for now," He said coolly. She nodded. She hadn't expected anything else. "Lee will be arriving in about a month's time. I will tell you the exact date when it's decided. I think it'd be best if you wear your sunglasses or avoid my office during that time. The less they know the better."

Ren sighed softly. It wasn't that she was upset that she would have to hide her eyes. She had planned that. It was more the way the mood had gone before then. This was supposed to be a fun and romantic date. The two ate in uncomfortable silence. Neither could decide if they were fighting or not. When the food was finished Ren packed away the dishes and sat next to Gaara. He glanced at her and grabbed her arm to pull her closer.

She scooted over and rested her head against his broad shoulder. The silence continued for a short time while they watched the sun set over the sand dunes. "Gaara," Ren broke the silence. She waited for him to look at her to continue, "I'm sorry that our secret is out. We really hadn't thought Matsuri would look so vengeful. Tem was just trying to include her, to be her friend."

Gaara turned and placed his hand on her cheek. "I don't blame either of you. We should have come out with it right away. I just wanted to be sure this is what we both wanted, not just me," He spoke slowly as if the words were hard to say.

The left corner of Ren's mouth twitched as she tried not to smile. "It's what I want," She told him sweetly. He tucked her long raven locks behind her ears then kissed her softly, making her heart skip a beat. The kiss was soft and felt like it ended too soon. When they parted though the stars were shining and the sun had set completely.

In sync the two of them laid down, Ren resting her head on Gaara's chest while he used one arm as a pillow. His other arm rested on Ren's abdomen. "Do you think we'll be together in 10 years," Ren asked him quietly.

"Yes," Gaara said so softly she almost missed it. He hadn't even hesitated. They stayed quiet after that. Ren was smiling on the outside while Gaara was smiling on the inside. Gaara stayed unmoving until he heard a light snore come from Ren. He had heard her do so the night she stayed in his room with him and found that it wasn't annoying. Her snores were nothing like Kankuro's. He used the part of the blanket that they weren't laying on to cover them up. Summer meant the desert didn't get too cold so he drifted off to sleep too, though he slept lightly.

XXXXXXXX

"So what is it you're planning exactly," Temari asked while she stood in front of Gaara's desk in the Kazekage office. Kankuro stood to her left and was wearing a passive mask on his face. Gaara had called the two of them in early in the morning and Temari wasn't happy. Gaara hadn't had the chance to talk to the two of them [1] since Temari told him about Matsuri. She wanted to know how the meeting with the elders went.

"Some elders believe that I should leave her. Others wish for me to marry her. I am uncertain right now is a good time for marriage. We just started dating and still are learning about each other," Gaara said blankly.

Temari was frustrated. "You'll have sex with her right away but marrying her is too soon? You're not going to know everything about Ren even after you've been married 10 years. Come on Gaara. You can't have only part of the situation. You have to take everything or you aren't going to end up with anything. You either marry her and have her always, or you're risking her feeling like you're using her. It's all or nothing, Gaara," Temari told him with her hands on her hips.

Kankuro took a deep breath and nodded. "I agree with Tem," he said while rubbing his fingers through his unruly brown hair, "You can't just have sex with her. You pushed over the 'too soon' line when you guys did. If you care about her like you claim you do you'll work things out no matter what comes up. Marriage would keep both your appearances untainted."

Gaara stared at his siblings. He was internally frowning and feeling a little insulted that they seemed to think he didn't want to marry Ren. He did. He just wasn't sure now was the time. "I'll take your words into consideration," He muttered. He wasn't going to give them anything more than that yet.

Kankuro and Temari both looked at him in disbelief. He was so irritating to Temari and maddening to Kankuro. They had really hoped to make some headway. They weren't sure what would happen when the feudal lord found out about Gaara's intimacy. The man liked Gaara but that wasn't saying much. He changed moods like a girl changes clothes. This could turn out to be very bad for Sunagakure.

**Meanwhile:**

"Where the hell were you? I was so worried! You said you were going to be hanging out with Gaara not spending the night Kami knows where! It's 5 in the morning and you're just getting home. What were you thinking," Naoma scolded Ren. Ren could only hang her head. She suddenly felt like she wasn't almost 21 years old. She felt like she was 6 years old and had just gotten caught trying to commit mass murder or something equally as terrible. "What's this I've heard about you and Gaara? I shouldn't have to hear things from other people Ren."

Ren felt defeated. She had tried explaining as soon as she came in the door but a very upset Naoma interrupted her. She could only let her head droop and stare at the floor while her hair cascaded in front of her face, casting a shadow to hide possible tears that would probably fall. Her mother had yelled at her no more than 5 times Ren's entire life. This was like being smacked across the face, punched in the throat, and then punched in the head. "I'm sorry. I fell asleep watching the stars with him. We are dating. I was going to tell you yesterday but you weren't here when I left," Ren's voice came out as squeaks. She couldn't look up. She hated disappointing her mother. "Gomenasai. Please forgive me."

"Is there anything else I should know," Naoma asked while placing her hands on her hips and tapping her right foot against the sandstone floor.

Ren internally flinched. Did Naoma know? If she asked such a question she probably did know. What if Baki had talked to Naoma before Ren did? Ren bit her lip to keep it from quivering. She hadn't felt so ashamed of herself in her life. She wrapped her arms around herself and murmured, "We've had sex."

Naoma sat down on the closest chair and ran her fingers through her hair, starting at the top and working her way back through it. "Did you at least use protection? Are you on birth control? I feel like I don't even know you right now," Naoma said as she shook her head.

"No we didn't and I'm not. It wasn't planned," Ren bit her lip again. She couldn't cry. She wouldn't cry. She didn't regret loving Gaara and showing him that.

"What am I going to do with you, Ren," Naoma asked lowly. "Are you going to marry him?" Naoma couldn't even look at Ren at that moment in time. She thought she had taught her daughter better than this. She hoped history wasn't going to repeat itself. Life was hard being a single mother. She prayed Ren didn't end up pregnant.

"If he asks me for the right reasons, yes, I will marry him. I love him, Kaasan."

"Sometimes love isn't enough, Ren," Naoma rubbed her eyes with her fingers.

"I know," Ren said with a nod.

"You two just started dating," Naoma muttered. She suddenly realized if it was Kankuro and not Gaara she wouldn't be so upset. Was it because she knew Kankuro better? Maybe it was because of Gaara's history. Would Ren be happy with Gaara? That was her main concern.

"We've known each other since I woke up from my coma," Ren responded, finally finding the courage to look at her mother. "Kaasan, please don't hate me."

Naoma's heart melted and she shook her head saying, "Ren I don't hate you. I just don't know what to do with you right now. I thought you knew better."

Ren hung her head again. It would be a long time before she would have any respect from her mother again. Their conversation was interrupted by a mission hawk tapping on the window. Ren looked at her mother who nodded towards the bird and Ren opened the window to take the message. "I need to go. I have a mission," Ren said quietly while watching the hawk fly off.

XXXXXXXX

Ren stood in Gaara's office. She kept staring at the desk and blushing but she just couldn't help it. There was now a potted cactus where her butt had once been. She hoped it wasn't to cover up a stain or something. That thought made Ren blush even more. She bit her lip and forced her eyes onto Gaara. He was filling out some paperwork and had asked her to wait a moment. Temari was standing on his right looking pretty annoyed as she stared blankly at Ren.

When Gaara finally looked up Ren nearly jumped out of her skin. She had been watching his nostril flare and his pen scratching against the parchment for so long that she had been almost hypnotized. She loved him, even when he was angry, so her heart had been all warm and raced slightly as she observed him.

"You have a simple mission that will only take a few days to complete. You'll be escorting two merchants to the border between Wind and Fire. You'll meet with Yamanaka Ino, Nara Shikamaru, and Akimichi Choji right after you cross into The Land of Fire here," Gaara said as he pointed to a map. Ren studied the place then nodded. She would have the location marked in her mission scroll too so she wasn't worried about forgetting, not that she would. "You will pass the task of guarding them to the Konohan team. It is not suspected that there will be any trouble, at least not in Suna. The merchants do not have anything of much value here."

Ren bit her lip and nodded once in understanding. Suddenly Temari's hostile aura made sense. Shikamaru was involved and she wasn't the one being sent. If Ren were in Temari's shoes she'd be the same way. "When do I leave," Ren asked quietly.

"Noon today," Gaara said as he pinched the bridge of his nose. Ren wondered if he had a headache. He probably always had one. That depressed Ren.

"Will you tell Shika hello and not to be lazy for me," Temari asked sweetly. Ren almost took a step back. It was like being hit by daggers because Temari usually wasn't what a person would call 'sweet'.

"Of course," Ren said with a small smile. She didn't want this to strain her friendship with Temari. She glanced at Gaara and said, "I know that you said there shouldn't be any trouble but why only send me? The Leaf is sending 3 ninja."

"Because I have faith that you will do fine," Gaara told her indifferently. She knew it was a compliment but it didn't feel much like one.

"Very well," Ren said softly.

"Oh," Temari said as she reached into her pocket and pulled out an elegant pair of sunglasses. "I figured you might want a pair. You'll be going into their territory and I'm not sure what would happen. Gaara and I were talking; it'd be best that they didn't know. We'll avoid all possible conflicts if the Hyuga clan doesn't know there's a sand kunoichi with the byakugan."

Ren took the glasses that Temari held out to her and smiled. "Thank you, they're lovely," Ren said as she examined the glasses. The green frames were made up of several leaves linked together and the lenses were black. Ren slipped them on and smiled again. She couldn't see very well with them on in the dimly light room. She enjoyed not wearing sunglasses all the time now but her eyes now were unused to the darkness.

"Shikamaru and I bought them last time I was in Konohagakure. I told him you're blind. The Aburame clan wears glasses constantly so they shouldn't think anything of you wearing them. They suit you," Temari said with a small smile.

"I prefer her without," Gaara stated. Both women looked at him so he threw in a, "But they do look lovely on you."

Ren pulled the glasses up and sat them on the top of her head. At least Gaara had learned to dig himself out of a hole over the years. "Well, I'm going to go get ready for my own mission. I'll see you guys later." Temari said with a wave.

"See you soon, Tem," Ren said with a wave of her own.

"Bye," Gaara murmured.

When the door was closed Ren walked up to Gaara cautiously. She still wasn't aware of what was acceptable to him and what wasn't. She wasn't a very affectionate person, neither was he, but she felt the need to at least try to be with him. He scooted his chair back away from his desk and leaned back.

It wasn't even 7 in the morning yet so there wasn't much paperwork on his desk for the time being. Ren sat on his lap gently and twisted her upper body to face him while he wrapped his arms around her waist. It was like they had been doing this for years, but they were both a little nervous despite how natural it felt.

"Do you have a headache," Ren asked while brushing his crimson hair away from his kanji.

"It's minor," He muttered.

"Hn," Ren responded as she started massaging his temples. Gaara's eyes closed and she felt him begin to relax under her. She moved her fingers in circles around his non-existent eyebrows, down his nose, and under his eyes. "Getting better," She asked softly.

"Yes," He responded quietly. Ren slipped her hands behind his head and massaged the base of his neck, the spot where her byakugan had a blind spot. "That feels nice," He mumbled. She smiled and kneaded her fingers up and down his neck. "Thank you," he said when she finally stopped.

"Anytime," She said weakly. Watching him so relaxed was breathtaking. He looked so at peace. She was smiling when he opened his eyes. "I'll see you in a few days I guess," She sighed.

"It will be over before we know it," He replied. Ren nodded and leaned in to kiss him softly. He responded by putting his left hand on her cheek and kissing her back. He found that he still hated sending her away, even for a short mission, but knew it needed to be done. She was qualified for the mission and the others were occupied. Until the next chunin exams, Sunagakure was stretched slightly thin when it came to C-A rank missions.

They hadn't been intimate but two times. He caught himself wanting to do so again since he wasn't sure exactly how long her mission would take. It could be 4-7 days before he saw her again. He slipped his right hand from her waist up to her breast. He had explored her thoroughly the second time they made love and he discovered he really liked her breasts. He gave it a gently squeeze but Ren winced. He pulled his hand away as if she had burned him and she frowned. "I-I'm sorry," She whispered.

He was confused as to why they would now suddenly cause her pain. "I didn't mean to hurt you," He told her.

"S-Sometimes they just get sensitive before a period," She informed him with a blush. He nodded. He didn't know much about the female body but he was suddenly worried about how Ren would be. Temari always went on chocolate binges and her emotions were all over the place. He hoped Ren wouldn't be like that. Gaara didn't think he could stand two women in his life wishing to throw him through walls and out windows. He couldn't remember ever seeing her like that. "I'm sorry," She said again.

"Don't be sorry. I'll wait," He told her while the corners of his mouth twitched slightly. She had felt awful for denying him. He felt like a pervert for not being more considerate. "I'm sorry for being so forceful, again."

"Ano, you weren't. I'd of liked it if it didn't hurt," Ren whispered as she bit her lip. A small blush formed on her cheeks. "I should probably be going though. I was fighting with Kaasan before you summoned me. She'll probably want to continue lecturing me.

"I'm sure she'll get over it soon," Gaara said as he tucked some of Ren's hair behind her ear.

"I hope you're right," Ren murmured before she stood up and kissed him goodbye.

XXXXXXXX

Naoma still wasn't happy by the time Ren had left the house to meet with the merchants. The trip was uneventful and boring. The men moved at such a slow pace Ren felt she was never going to get home. She couldn't complain too much though, she was feeling pretty sluggish herself. Fighting with her mother was always draining. Throw that in with an impending period that just seemed to never want to be regular and she was just fatigued. The trio made it into the Land Of Fire a day later than they were expected to.

Ren heard leaves rustle from the treetops to the left and held her hand up to stop the merchants. They weren't too far from the meeting place with the Konohans but she drew her fans anyway. She stared at the trees and activated her byakugan with a whisper, "Byakugan." The pain shot through her body but she forced herself to endure. She could see six shinobi. That surely wasn't the team she was meeting.

From behind a kunai came whizzing towards her. She quickly turned and sent a gust of wind from her fans to disrupt the kunai's flight. It flew off to the right away from everyone. There were a total of ten opponents that she could count. "Stay down and behind your carts," Ren told the merchants.

The men were barely hidden when the ten shinobi leaped down from the trees. "Well, well, look what we have here," One of the men shouted. Ren assumed this was the leader. His voice was vile and she thought she saw saliva dripping down the corner of his mouth as he spoke, "A pretty little thing and our goods. Take our stuff and bind the girl. We're going to have fun tonight." The man's laugh was nauseating.

"I bet she's a virgin," A second man, lugging around a mace, said as four of the men got into a battle stance. The remaining six, donned in grey hoods, remained on the sidelines, ready to assist if needed.

"Let's hope so," stated a third as he scratched his dual sai together.

The fourth one was rather quiet but wore a knowing grin and he spun his katana on his waist in preparation.

Ren was angry on the inside but didn't show it. If they were eager to humiliate and toy with her, it was only "polite" to do the same with them. She was able to keep her face stoic as she pushed chakra to her fans. She was still using her byakugan and could see that most of them had weak chakra flow. They seemed to mostly be taijutsu users; in addition, with their choice of words and behavior, overpowering their prey seemed the ideal method of conquest. She inhaled deeply and deactivated her byakugan; she wouldn't need it to clean up these mongrels' attitude. "If you leave now, you'll remain with your lives – and manhoods – intact." She held up her black fan in the folded position and aimed right for their leader. "If not…I will be the one penetrating here." That laugh of his echoed out gratingly as his men followed suit. No compliance? No problem. "…Tobu Shigan: Bachi…" Ren whispered. As soon as her words left her lips, a fast flying shot of compressed air darted out from the tip of her folded fan.

The leader was hit with the sudden shot onto his right shoulder, making him fly backwards into a tree. It wasn't a penetrating shot due to the diameter of her fan, but it was enough to leave a foreseeable bruise. The speed and force of it even made the three other instigators take a few steps back while the hooded ones flinched and gawked at their boss's new position. He growled as he got back up and demanded a shuriken barrage at her. She sighed from the confirmation that her warning was ignored. Ren raised her arms above her head and stood on her tiptoes. Barrages of shuriken were aimed right at her. She twisted her body around and swung her arms with the momentum. The wind surrounded her and her long raven hair was blown all over the place within her own personal cyclone. The black fan leads the dance while the white added to the devastation. All shuriken were blown back as nothing hit their mark.

The men spread out around her, and Ren felt a smirk grow from the corner of her mouth. She was doing her best not to underestimate these guys but she knew that she may have. They seemed to be very good at blocking and dodging, but her practice with Gaara helped increase her speed. In comparison, they were nothing but the slugs she knew they were. The Leader held firmly to her front, with the six hoods taking his side with three on each side while the three instigators took the rear. Ren released her fans from her hands, allowing them to dangle from their straps around her wrists. She took a deep breath and raised her left leg slightly a few inches past the edge of her breasts until she could see her toes. "…Rankyaku" she whispered as she performed a swift back kick to her 7 o'clock. A large compressed air blade the size of her leg shot from her heel. With no time to dodge, the mace-wielder had his right arm sliced off from the incoming gale-slash. Before he could even writhe in his newfound pain, "Soru…" Ren sprang from her surrounded position in a blur and relatively disappeared from sight. She ran right for the hood at her 1 o'clock and snapped his neck with an instantaneous clothesline that dragged on for about nine feet. She looked back at the rest with a knowing glare: two out of commission while escaping their would-be encircling. The mace-wielder would bleed out soon and his death was assured.

The remaining eight were flabbergasted as they took several seconds to grasp what just happened. The sounds of their number two shrieking at the loss of his good arm, while a loud **SNAP** engulfed their eardrums for a brief second before the screaming. The leader's eyes shot to his left to see Ren a few good feet away while one of his men lay dead at her feet. All of them were in blind fury at point; with no real command from their leader, they all sprang for her with weapons drawn to kill.

Two hoods with kunai in each hand began slicing away at Ren's body. A second beforehand, she whispered, "Kami-e". With no effort, she evaded all of their incoming strikes like paper floating in the wind: stepped to the side, twirled left, spun right, ducked, and leapt back. Everything she needed to do to avoid being hit was done like she was born of the wind itself. One strike towards her face, however, narrowly missed her eye yet knocked her glasses off of her face. The men all froze when they saw the pale color of her eyes. No words were said but the manic grins the men gained calmed their anger a bit, boosted their morale, and sent shivers down her spine. She summersaulted away from the two kunai users and retrieved her sunglasses. She slipped them back on. She was glad they didn't get bent. She was quite fond of Temari's gift. But their grins…did they know of her ancestry? And relished in the ideal of raping her more? The Hyugas must have made plenty of enemies.

Deciding not to play around with them any longer, she reactivated her byakugan, allowing her to see the quiet katana wielder coming up behind her as she adjusted her glasses. She sent a rankyaku to the hoods as a distraction. They were forced to quit their assault momentarily to dodge the incoming air blade; while the blade only caught onto their hoods and no flesh, they were still pushed back a good five feet from the force.

It was all that Ren had needed. She stood perfectly still while the quiet man raised his katana above his head and began bringing it down. Ren closed her white fan as she turned her body and raised it up to block the attack. The metal from the fan clashed with the steel of his sword. The man seemed a little dumbfounded that she had blocked him with a fan.

"The problem with physical swords," Ren whispered as she pushed her right leg up for a kick along his groin, "Is that when they meet an obstacle, they can't continue. They're so easily stopped. There is no blocking wind." Performing another rankyaku, she sliced open the katana wielder in half with an air blade cutting clear through his spine. She then summersaulted away from the splattering blood from her new victim. Upon landing, she was ready for the next feat coming at her from the side – their leader.

She focused on the two merchants for a second. They were fine. She was having a lot of trouble keeping control of her chakra through the pain of using her byakugan. She felt like she should have been able to move faster, hit harder, and react quicker. She released the byakugan and the pain behind her eyes lessened considerably. She had a dull headache. She could see men drawing throwing weapons and the leader was running straight towards her. She needed to get out of their range.

"Geppo!" She focused chakra to her feet and kept jumping upward until she was propelled high into the air. Kunai and shuriken sent breezes against her clothes and skin as they narrowly missed her. **THUNK THUMP THUNK** rang out as the weapons hit the wooden carts. She took several more jumps to go even higher and held her fans in both hands. She twirled around in the air and blades of wind left her fans. She watched as two men were knocked back through three trees each. They wouldn't be getting back up.

Ren looked down and panicked a little. Getting down was not something she had ever really mastered. Ren lost the chakra control on the air and was tumbling towards the ground when she heard a boisterous "Partial Expansion Jutsu," and was grabbed by a giant pair of hands. They placed her gently on the ground and Ren traced the arms back to their owner.

He had long and spiky brown hair, red swirls on his slightly tanned cheeks, silver studs in his ears, and a husky physique. His dark eyes met with hers from behind her dark shades and he offered a small smile. Ren noticed his Leaf headband and returned his smile. She knew well enough that this wasn't Shikamaru, he didn't fit Temari's description, so he must be Akimichi Choji.

Ren glanced around them and saw a fair-skinned woman with blue eyes and pale blond hair that was pulled up into a high ponytail with her bangs parted on the left. She was locked in a kunai battle with one of the enemies. The woman wore a very purple outfit that showed off more skin than Ren ever dreamed of doing, and not just because she would end up with sunburn if she did. Ren figured this was Yamanaka Ino.

A brunette with his hair pulled up into a spiky ponytail that reminded Ren of a pineapple was standing in front of two of the attacking ninja with his hands forming a rat sign. His narrow brown eyes were locked on his opponents. His shadow was blended with theirs and two shadow hands were making their way up to the men's necks. The men seemed to be frozen in fear. Ren assumed this was Nara Shikamaru.

Choji turned his back to her and charged towards one of the opponents that was running towards him. From behind Ren came an arm that grabbed her across her chest. She winced in pain and then froze her movements when she felt the cold steel of a kunai against her throat. "You're really starting to piss me off," the leader whispered in her ear. She hadn't even sensed him coming up behind her. Her mind and heart were racing, her breasts ached, she was exhausted, and she could feel the kunai slicing into her throat slightly.

The Konohans all had their own battles on their hands. Ino had nearly backed her enemy against a tree, Choji was a large ball grinding into his opponent, and Shikamaru's shadows were strangling the life out of his two captives. Ren didn't want to rely on anyone to save her anyway. She initiated a soru, in which stomping on the leader's foot in rapid succession—something she'd learned to be effective from Momoko, only amplified—and then shot her finger deep into his abdomen. The man's grip lessened and Ren pulled herself to the side and away from him. The kunai sliced a thin cut across her throat as she moved but she ignored it.

The man was fazed and bawling, yet her shigan staggered him enough to react with a punch right to Ren's stomach. She felt like she would vomit as she flew back. She bounced off the ground and quickly twisted herself upright. She skidded backwards and had to place her right hand on the ground to keep balance, tearing the skin against the rocks within the dirt. He had done damage to one of her organs, she was sure of it. She felt blood enter her mouth and spit it out onto the grass. She was now beyond pissed off. She dropped both her fans from her hands though they remained around her wrists and ran towards her attacker.

She punched at his face with her right hand but he blocked it with the guard on his forearm. She felt her knuckles crack against the metal. She didn't dwell on the pain, instead she threw a left hook up under his jaw but he dodged to the right. She shifted her weight to her left foot and kicked his side as hard as she could for a rankyaku. The kick was halted before she could cut, and he now had her leg trapped in his grip. He snarled at her and she growled back. She punched his face again at the same time he punched her shoulder. He released her leg and they both skidded backward.

Ren rolled her shoulder for relief. She felt like a fire was burning within her body, trying to consume her. The nice Ren had long since disappeared. She was going to make this guy bleed in a way that only her boyfriend's ex-tailed beast would appreciate. The man didn't give her long to recover. "You're going to bring me a lot of money, Hyuga," The man hissed. Ren's heart rate sped up more. She prayed that Ino-Shika-Cho hadn't heard his comment. She needed to silence him once and for all. The leader pulled kunai and started jabbing them towards Ren's face. She ducked each one with kami-e and pressed her fingers against his chest. "Shigan: Five!" Her attack's force pierced his flesh deep. With blood drawn, she rested her palm against his five open wounds and sent small blasts of chakra into his body. He winced in pain and took two staggered steps back.

Shikamaru watched his opponents fall to the ground lifeless and then looked to his team. Ino and Choji were both staring off to the sand kunoichi. His eyes followed their gaze. She was locked in a taijutsu battle and he watched as she struck his chest. She had her palm open and the hit seemed to throw him off balance. _"That style. Hyuga? Couldn't be," _Shikamaru thought to himself. Shikamaru blinked. One second the girl was standing about three paces from the leader and then the next the guy was flying through a tree fifteen to twenty paces away. He missed the whole thing just by blinking. Her speed was insane; it easily seemed to match Lee's at that moment. _"Why didn't she use that speed for the whole battle? With it she could've had all these guys taken care of before we even got here. Something doesn't add up,"_ Shikamaru contemplated.

Ren stood there panting while she opened her black fan. The man was through the tree with blood, organs, limbs, and wood shrapnel splaying out towards her. She sliced the black fan across her body and blocked everything from touching her. The crook didn't get up. His body was far from whole. Ren suddenly fell to her knees. She heaved then threw up blood and her lunch. Ren's head throbbed from the action.

"Did you see that," Ino asked as she ran up to Shikamaru. Choji was trailing after her. "She's as fast as Lee! I couldn't even see her moving!"

"I noticed," Shikamaru said with irritation in his voice. He was claimed to be a genius. Why would his blond teammate possibly think he would miss anything? He was a strategist and able to figure out what his opponents would do before they knew. "Go make sure she's alright. Either she had something red or she's throwing up blood. You're a medic so I'm sure you can see the other injuries she's got," Shikamaru told her with sarcasm in his voice. A sigh followed and he muttered, "This is such a drag."

Ino nodded and ran over to Ren while Choji stayed next to him. "She used Gentle Fist didn't she," Choji asked as he dusted his hands on his black pants.

"Yeah," Shikamaru responded while he rubbed the back of his neck to try and relieve some of the stress that was building.

"What do we do," Choji asked as he pocketed his hands.

"Nothing, it's not our problem. That's between her, the Hyuga's, and Gaara. We don't want to be caught in a situation where this somehow becomes our fault. Maybe they know about her. She wears her forehead protector on her forehead. Maybe she covers her seal like Neji did," Shikamaru glanced over at Choji as he spoke. They both knew the idea was farfetched. Choji nodded. The mention of Neji made the air suddenly much heavier around the two. "C'mon, let's go check on our clients," Shikamaru muttered as he began walking towards the merchants.

Ino knelt on the ground next to Ren, careful to avoid any splatter from Ren's vomiting. Ino placed her hand on the girl's shoulder when she seemed to be done. Ren turned to look at Ino from behind her dark glasses. "Are you alright? I mean, you're bleeding pretty badly from your neck," Ino stated. "I'll heal that for you okay? It'll be quick."

Ren closed her eyes and wiped her mouth on the long, rusty brown sleeve of her top. She nodded and tilted her head back so Ino could look at the cut on her neck. Ino's hands began to emit a green chakra as they hovered over it. The wound began to close. The pain was intense to Ren and she could feel Ino's chakra practically sewing her skin together. "It's a good thing this wasn't much deeper," Ino muttered, "It's also a good thing you didn't keep fighting for even five more minutes. I don't think you're going to be heading back to Suna tonight. You're going to need to rest and get your strength back."

Ren waited until Ino wrapped some bandages around her neck to say anything. "Thanks for that," She whispered. She was feeling a little light headed.

"Let me see your hand," Ino said as she held her hand out for Ren's.

With an internal sigh Ren extended her right hand. She paled when she saw a few pebbles stuck within her skin. "I didn't even feel that," Ren muttered.

"It's probably because your adrenaline was flowing. You're really fast," Ino said as she used her chakra to pull the foreign matter out of Ren's hand then close the wounds. She also mended the cracks in the bones. The silence ended as soon as Ren's hand was wrapped. "Could I take a look at your stomach? I mean, you're throwing up blood and that's not a good sign."

Ren thought about it for a moment. She really didn't want anything else done to her. It was always bad enough when she had to have her mother heal her. She didn't know this young woman. "I," Ren began speaking then stopped when her stomach began to hurt again. She groaned in pain, "Alright."

Ino helped Ren to her feet as Choji and Shikamaru walked over to them. "She'll be staying in camp with us tonight, right," Choji asked. When Ino nodded he picked Ren up bridal style. Her long raven hair dangled towards the ground and she groaned slightly. "Sorry," He told her gently.

She forced a smile and closed her eyes. "It's fine. You're just helping. This hurts a lot less than walking will," She murmured.

The group, merchants included, made their way to the camp Ino-Shika-Cho had been using while they waited on Ren to arrive. Ren passed out as soon as Choji laid her down on one of the sleeping mats.

Ino quickly went to work healing her upper abdomen. The camp was quiet except for the merchants thanking them and the sounds of the fire crackling. Ren opened her eyes to see the stars above her. She felt someone sitting right next to her so she turned her head to see Ino staring at the fire. Ren sat up slowly. Her vision was clear, unobstructed by dark glasses. Her pale eyes met Ino's blue ones. "So you are a Hyuga," Ino said quietly.

Ren frowned and her heart rate sped up. She was discovered. They'd haul her off to Konoha and turn her over. She scrambled to her feet and got into a defensive stance. "You aren't going to take me to them," Ren whispered.

Ino's eyes were wide as she stared at the woman before her. "I'm not," Ino said quietly, "We've all talked about it and it isn't our business. You can relax. Actually," Ino sighed, "You really do need to relax. I was able to heal your bruised stomach but you still need to take it easy. You may be vomiting for a few days still."

Ren relaxed slightly and slumped back down to the ground. She was so tired. "Thanks for healing me," Ren muttered as she pulled her knees up to her chest.

"It's what I do," Ino said with a smile. "I'm sorry for freaking you out. I guess that means the Hyuga's don't know about you. Your secret is safe with me. Shikamaru wouldn't want Temari angry with him so he won't say anything. Choji doesn't really care so he won't blab. He's the best secret keeper ever. I'm Ino by the way," Ino's voice was chipper as she extended her hand to Ren.

"Ren, Hyogo Ren," Ren said as she took Ino's outstretched hand. After their quick handshake everything was quiet. "Thanks, for deciding to keep my secret. My mom has always been real worried about the Hyuga's coming after me." Ren didn't know why she was talking but her mouth just kept going. "Sometimes I think I'd like to meet one, maybe learn their fighting style or something. I've studied the information that The Fourth Kazekage had on it but it's not the same as learning from the users. Then I get to thinking about that seal they put on lesser Hyuga's. That automatically makes me not want to ever meet one."

"Well I'm not going to say anything. I guess next month you'll be treading carefully since three of them will be in Suna, huh? I'll be part of their bodyguard team. Maybe while I'm there we can hang out. I'd love to have another female friend. You can hold your own in a battle and I can really appreciate that. You even impressed Shikamaru a little with your speed, not that he'd admit it."

Ren nodded as she thought about it. "I'd love to hang out with you. I'd just want to do so away from the Hyuga's."

A glamourous smile formed on Ino's lips and she said, "That's fine by me. There will be four of us on the squad so hopefully I'll get some alone time. We can go shopping and you can show me around. It'll be a lot of fun."

"That sounds nice," Ren said with a small smile. She wasn't fond of shopping but would deal with it. She would love to have a new friend. Ren decided to make a mental note to write to Momoko. Ino's shining personality reminded Ren a lot of her. Ren really missed Momoko.

XXXXXXXX

Ren made it home without much problem but it took her longer than she hoped because of a sand storm. Ren walked into the lobby of Gaara's office and approached Baki who was sitting behind the desk reading. "Is Kazekage-sama avalible," Ren asked softly.

Baki looked up and stared at her. "He was excepting you yesterday. He's free now. Oh and Ren-san, make sure you lock the door, ne," Baki replied with a slight smirk.

Ren frowned and then bowed. "Hai, Baki-san," She said before walking up to the doors to Gaara's office. She knocked and he called for her to enter. She slid inside silently and closed the door. She hesitated for a moment then locked it. She wasn't planning on them doing anything but would still take Baki's advice. The last time she wasn't planning anything she ended up with her legs wrapped around Gaara and Temari walking in. She blushed slightly at the memory.

When she turned around Gaara was looking at her. She could see relief all over his face. She smiled slightly and tucked her hair behind her ear. "Sorry it took me an extra day. The sandstorm lasted a lot longer than I had expected," she stated as she walked up to his desk. Gaara placed down his pen and scooted the chair backwards. "Officially the mission was a success. During the storm I wrote out my report, but I need to talk to you unofficially when you're free to," She told him as she placed the document on his desk. She looked up from the folder to see him standing and walking around his desk. "Gaara?"

He said nothing as he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close. Ren's heart skipped a beat and she wrapped her arms around his torso and pressed her face against his chest. "I missed you," he muttered.

"I missed you too," She murmured before kissing his chest through his Kazekage robe. For them that was as close to 'I love you' as they were going to get. Ren's heart raced in her chest as he held her. "I'm sorry for making you worry," She told him softly as she tilted her head up to look at him.

His response was to crash his lips against hers. She pressed her lips against his and was suddenly so glad that she had locked the door. Her stomach flip-flopped and she felt her core become heated. He pressed his tongue against her lips and she opened her mouth to grant him entry. She brushed her tongue against his in a battle for dominance. He slipped one hand up to the back of her head while the other rested on her hip.

**What time is it? Lemon time!**

When they needed air he pulled away slowly. "Gaara," She whispered his name. She stared into his eyes and smiled with her swollen lips when she saw a flicker of lust, love, and happiness within those blue-green orbs. He buried his face into her neck and began kissing it roughly. She moaned out softly. She couldn't help it. He was kissing her _spot_. Her body felt like it was turning to jelly in his embrace. Before her knees could go out he lifted her up and she wrapped her legs around his waist.

He was as turned on as she was. She could feel his erection against her core. "Gaara," She moaned out as he squeezed her butt roughly. Her breathing was shallower. She couldn't help it. He was just so… He was driving her body crazy just by kissing and grabbing. He sucked on the spot he had found on her neck the second time they had made love and he was using it against her. He carried her to one of the couches and laid her down while he hovered over her.

_"__Condom,"_ Gaara thought and tried to remember where he had left them. _"The nightstand at home, kuso,"_ He thought. He would just have to tell Ren they couldn't, no matter how badly he wanted to.

She unwrapped her legs from around him and stared into his eyes as she unzipped his robe. _"Screw it,"_ Gaara told himself as she slipped it off his shoulders and he slid it off his arms and threw it onto the coffee table. His fingers hooked her shirt and she sat up enough to allow him to pull it and the mesh armor under it off. She blushed when she saw him lick his lips. Even just that action had her stomach clinching with anticipation. She pulled his black turtleneck up over his head and tossed it onto the floor somewhere. She didn't get to turn to see where it landed because Gaara's lips were on hers the second his hands were freed of the sleeves.

She kissed him deeply as his hands squeezed her breasts. She moaned against his lips and he pulled away to look at her. She almost covered herself with her arms but knew he didn't like when she did that. "Did they get bigger," he asked in a husky voice that sent shivers down her spine. Why did he have to be so sexy?

She bit her lip and stared down at her chest. "I don't think so," She responded quietly. She watched him smile a little before he squeezed them again. She moaned and arched her back as his fingers grazed her nipples. "Gaara," She whispered, "Don't tease me too much."

Gaara growled in his throat as he let go of her breasts. That low noise made Ren's body ablaze with desire. She unbuttoned his pants while he stripped her of hers as well as her panties. They were both nude in a hurry. Gaara sat on the couch and Ren climbed on top of him. She pulled long raven her hair over her should and kissed him passionately as she rubbed her flower against his member, lubricating it with her arousal. She felt like she should be nervous. This was the first time she was in control. She didn't feel anything other than horny though.

She gasped when he bucked up into her, his member penetrating her core. She lowered her hips to his to sheath him completely. She couldn't help it as instinct took over, she started rocking her hips and moaned. She kissed bellow his ear as his hands rested on her hips, guiding her movements. "I've missed this. I've missed you," She whispered before nibbling his ear.

He groaned and thrust up into her hard. Their movements became more erratic. He was feeling a state of bliss from her walls hugging his member tightly and she was on cloud nine because of the way his manhood reached every possible part of her. She was moaning louder than she should've been so he kissed her to quiet her down. She kissed him back until she couldn't breathe. She was panting and it was just too good for sounds.

Gaara squeezed her hips and turned so that she landed on her back with him on top of her. He thrust himself into her deeply and it took all Ren had not to scream out in pleasure. She felt her body tremble beneath him and he groaned as he reached his climax. The heat from his seed shooting into her was too much. It pushed her over the edge too.

**End Citrus**

XXXXXXXX

Gaara sat at his desk trying to focus on paperwork. He and Ren had been having a difficult time finding time for each other and about a week from then they would be separated longer. He needed to keep her away from the Hyuga's prying eyes. Ren told him that the Konoha team she met with were aware of her heritage and that made him uneasy. It was only a matter of time at this point before they knew. His mind had wandered and he realized he'd been looking at the same document for 10 minutes.

He mentally shook himself and stamped the document before putting it in the 'out' pile. Ren wasn't doing anything but reading. She wasn't making noises. She was still so distracting. He glanced at the paperwork and frowned internally. The pile was barely getting any smaller. The corners of his mouth actually turned down now. "Ren," he said suddenly.

Ren's body jerked and the book fell to the ground. "Y-yes," She asked as she sat up and glanced at him.

Gaara decided at that moment that paperwork would have to wait. He had his beautiful girlfriend waiting on him for hours. It was dinnertime and she seemed bored. He stood from his chair, pushing it backwards with the motion. Ren sat up a little straighter and he walked over to sit next to her. "I'm sorry I've been so busy," he sighed.

"You're the Kazekage," Ren said softly, "You have a lot of pressure on you and more paperwork for one day than I've seen in my whole life."

He reached over and tucked her hair behind her ear. "Will you have dinner with me," He asked quietly. It almost seemed like he was afraid that she would reject him.

"I'd love to. Are you almost done for the day," she asked as she glanced at the clock on the wall, "It's already 7 in the evening."

"I have gotten to all of the urgent things. The rest aren't as pressing. I'll come in early tomorrow to finish."

"Maybe you should hire a personal assistant," Ren teased with a small smile.

Gaara blinked once while he stared at her. That wasn't a bad idea. He would consider it. "Perhaps you're right," Gaara told her while he pressed his forehead against hers. His blue-green eyes met her white ones and Gaara's heart fluttered. He was still not used to this feeling but he knew he liked it.

Ren's heart was racing and she got lost in those pools of pale turquoise. She smiled and rubbed her nose against his gently. The touch sent jolts of pleasurable electricity through her body. She was so in love with him that nothing else would ever compare. "Where will we be having dinner," she asked as her breath brushed softly against his lips.

He shivered ever so slightly and had to take a minute to calm himself before responding. "I thought we would have dinner at my house. I've informed your mother you'll be staying the night with Temari. Kankuro says she knew better but said nothing to protest."

"Alright," Ren said with a blush on her cheeks. Her best night's sleeps were spent in Gaara's arms. She tilted her head and pressed her lips against his softly.

He wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her body closer to his while he deepened the kiss. Her lips were so soft it amazed him every time. She felt like an angel to him but that was probably because he was in love. He caught himself before he pushed his tongue into her mouth and pulled away slowly. "Let's go," he muttered as he stood up and extended his hand to her.

Ren reached down to pick up the book and sat it on the table before taking his hand and standing up. The two of them left the office building with their fingers laced together. A few people whispered to each other while others simply stared. Ren wasn't used to the attention. She swallowed the lump that began forming in her throat and walked a little closer to Gaara.

He looked at her from the corner of his eye and smiled inside. He didn't care what people said. He loved her and was with her for all the right reasons. Ren's face turned green for a second but then as quickly as the color had appeared it faded. "Are you alright," He whispered as they walked.

"I'm alright," She said quietly. She really didn't feel alright. She was nauseous. Her nerves were getting the best of her. She really didn't feel like she was deserving of the attention everyone paid to her. She couldn't go get a bag of rice at the store without people asking her about the Kazekage.

"Very well," He stated as they made their way to his front door. As always the doors swung open at the right moment. Ren wondered if the maid stood at the door 24/7 but figured that probably wasn't the case.

Without much thought Ren and Gaara made their way to the dining room. Ren was comfortable in his house. She knew where every room was. They had been dating for almost 2 months now so she had been over quite often. She was still afraid she would get lost in the east wing but they rarely went there.

XXXXXXXX

Kankuro stood in his gray boxers and a white tee shirt listening to the disgusting sounds coming from inside his brother's bathroom. He had been brushing his teeth when he first heard it and was doing his best to ignore it. It was very hard to ignore the sound of someone losing their cookies. He rinsed his mouth in a hurry and left his own space to go out into the hallway and knock on Gaara's bedroom door. There was no answer. He frowned when he heard someone heaving again.

With a sigh he opened the door to Gaara's bedroom. The room was empty. He ran his fingers through his extra messy brown hair and yawned as he dragged his feet to the bathroom door. He knocked and called out, "Hey you okay?"

There wasn't an immediate answer so Kankuro placed his hand on the doorknob to open it. "I'm fine," he heard Ren say before he could even turn the knob.

He went ahead and opened the door anyway. The sight before him brought up mixed feelings. Ren was wearing nothing but a white tee shirt, just like his, and her pink underwear. He did his best not to look at his ex-best-friend-made-friend-again in that way. She was on her knees with her back to him and her upper body draped over the toilet. He caught himself staring at her firm gluts and wide hips. He was thinking, _"Man, Gaara hit the jackpot,"_ until she heaved again and was throwing up even more.

Kankuro frowned and stood beside her and gathered her hair up into a ponytail at the base of her neck. He stayed there with one hand holding her hair and the other rubbing her back. "You are not fine," He sighed as he sat down on the edge of the tub.

Ren was silent once the heaving stopped. Neither moved for what felt like an eternity. Ren slowly leaned back to sit on her legs and Kankuro released her hair. She flushed the toilet and he handed her a towel. He stayed beside her and regretted inhaling when she looked at him. She had a sick smell to her. "The food last night wasn't that bad was it," Kankuro asked, trying to joke.

Ren's eyes began to collect water and she flung herself against his chest. He had no choice but to wrap his arms around her and rub her back. She cried so quietly he almost couldn't tell. Her breathing was shaky and his shirt was growing wet but other than that there were no signs. "Talk to me, Ren. What's going on? I can't really help if you don't tell me what's wrong. I'm here for you so talk to me," he requested.

"I think I need to see a doctor," she whimpered, "I've been feeling sick for a few weeks. I thought I just needed to rest y'know? What if it's more serious than that?" She sniffled and Kankuro rubbed her back.

"We'll get you dressed and to the hospital alright? I'm sure whatever's wrong can be fixed," Kankuro said wiping the tears from her eyes. "We'll also brush your teeth first, ne? I'll get your clothes together for you and then go get dressed." He smirked when she blushed and nodded.

"Where's Gaara," She asked when she stood and prepared her toothbrush.

"He had a meeting scheduled for an hour ago. I imagine he's at the office working. I'm gonna get your clothes then go get dressed. When you're ready to go just come get me alright? I'll be in my room."

Ren nodded and spit into the sink. She turned to look at Kankuro again and whispered, "Arigato."

"Don't mention it. Just hurry up, k? Don't need you throwing up again."

"Hai," Ren replied with a nod.

XXXXXXXX

"You did _WHAT_," Temari shrieked as she stood in Gaara's office. She couldn't believe her brother.

"I didn't wish to wake her," Gaara replied cooly.

"You didn't even leave her a note did you? Man, Gaara, sometimes you are so dense. What if she feels like by you leaving her without a goodbye you don't care about her? You aren't using my friend are you?"

Gaara closed his eyes to avoid looking at the source of his current irritation. "No. I love her," He admitted out loud. It wasn't something he thought he'd confess so openly. "I left early because I love her. I met with her mother this morning to ask her permission to marry Ren. She was reluctant but I now have her blessing. Instead of lecturing me about not leaving a note, help me plan how I will propose. You're her best friend. I plan on only doing this once in my life and she will want it to be romantic."

"You really do love her if you'll ask me for help," Temari replied with a grin.

There was a knock on the door. Gaara sat up straight and looked at Temari confused. She shrugged. "Come in," Gaara called out and picked up his pen. He figured he would make himself seem busy in case it was Baki. He filled out a form while he heard 8 sets of feet enter the room

The world froze the second Gaara looked up. The Hyuga wedding party had arrived a week early. Hyuga Hiashi stood in the front of the group. He was dressed for travel yet still held his aura of arrogance and nobility. To his left stood the girl he knew to be Uchiha Hinata. She had her midnight hair down. The similarities between Ren and Hinata were uncanny. Their faces were shaped quite similarly though Hinata's cheeks were a little fuller. Ren's cheekbones resided a little higher. Hinata's nose different as well. Ren's was like a button while Hinata's was proud. Another difference was the tint to their eyes. Hinata's was a pale lilac tint while Ren's gleamed with a silver tint.

Gaara had to blink before looking away from Hinata. He looked to Hiashi's right to see the younger Hyuga female. She was short and very thin, unlike her sister who appeared to be a more healthy weight. Hanabi's aura was similar to her father's and Gaara automatically knew he wasn't going to like her much. He would give her a chance though.

Next to Hinata stood the very man he wished to fight once more. Uchiha Sasuke. His raven black hair was longer now and didn't stick up quite so badly. His ebony eyes were full of cold indifference but his body language betrayed him. He was standing with Hinata's fingers intertwined with his. He would occasionally steal glances at his bride and the corners of his mouth would lift ever so slightly. Uchiha Sasuke was happy.

Behind them were their guards. Haruno Sakura was on the far left. Her pink hair was still short. She had a purple rhombus in the middle of her forehead. Gaara knew this to be a technique learned from The Fifth Hokage, Reserve Seal. Next to her was Yamanaka Ino. She had her long blond hair pulled up into a high ponytail and her bangs covered part of the right side of her face.

The other two were Uzumaki Naruto and Rock Lee. Naruto looked exactly the same. His blond hair was short and stuck up all over the place. He was wearing his hideous orange workout outfit. Gaara didn't have the best fashion sense but even he knew that was an eye sore. Lee was dressed in his green jumpsuit, black bowl cut and bushy eyebrows the same as ever. Neither boy had any taste in attire.

"You are a week early," Gaara stated the obvious. He wasn't sure what else to say.

"Yosh! The enthusiasm of our youth has brought us here sooner than expected," Rock Lee shouted from the back row with his right fist raised in the air.

"Lee, you baka," Sakura said while glaring at the boy.

"I'm sorry my sweet blossom," Lee said while staring at his feet.

Hiashi cleared his throat and all attention was brought on him. "I was forced to move the wedding date up unexpectedly," Hiashi said while gazing at Sasuke. Sasuke didn't flinch but Hinata's gaze was glued to the ground and her cheeks were bright red. "I hope that this will not be a problem."

"Not at all," Gaara said. He turned to look at Temari. She had been silent and her skin was pale. She looked like she had seen a ghost. "Temari," Gaara said and she quickly jerked her head to look in his direction, "Please go make sure their rooms are prepared then hurry back. We have important matters to deal with after our guests are comfortable."

"Of course," Temari said and left the room. Gaara hoped she knew that he also wanted her to go find Ren and warn her. Gaara hoped and prayed that she was still in the mansion.

Gaara stared at the Uchiha newlyweds. "Congratulations," he told them. He truthfully didn't care. He still disliked Uchiha Sasuke. How the innocent Hyuga had fallen for the selfish existence that surrounded Sasuke, Gaara would never know.

"Thank you," Hinata said with a smile. Sasuke merely nodded.

"When Temari returns we shall head over to the mansion so that you may settle in. The journey is not an easy one. Please make yourselves comfortable here for the time being," Gaara stated while looking at Hiashi.

"Hn," the eldest Hyuga grunted in agreement. He seemed overly tired. Perhaps his age was catching up to him. He took a seat in one of the armchairs closest to Gaara's desk. Hanabi sat next to him. Hinata, Sasuke, and Naruto sat on one couch. Lee, Sakura, and Ino sat on the other.

There was another knock on the door and Gaara sighed internally. His office was very crowded. "Come in," Gaara said as he rubbed his temples with his eyes closed.

The door opened and closed. He heard Ren's voice saying, "Gaara I need to talk to-" her voice halted. His eye shot open to see white eyes staring at white eyes. All four sets were wide and it suddenly became harder to breathe.

"What is the meaning of this," Hiashi demanded, as he was the first to recover.

Gaara had no idea how to answer. He had sent Temari to go warn her yet here she was standing in his office. He was trying to figure out how to handle the situation. He began to sweat and could practically hear the crickets chirping while no one said anything.

The door opened and Kankuro stepped inside. He closed the door then shock sank into him. Gaara watched as Kankuro moved in front of Ren to block her from their view. Gaara's heart clenched when he realized that he should have been the one guarding her like that. "The meaning of what, Hyuga-sama," Gaara asked blankly. Inside he was a nervous wreck but externally he was cool as a cucumber.

"Who is she," Hinata asked so quietly everyone almost missed it.

_"__Kuso," _cursed Kankuro internally.

_"__Shimatta," _thought Gaara.

_"__Kami help me,"_ Ren prayed silently.

Everyone stared at Gaara expectantly while they waited on an answer to Hinata's question.

**Ren Note: **Let's see… to clarify…. (Even though I haven't used all of these this chapter)  
Kuso- Shit

Shimatta- Oh no/damn

Arigato- Thank you

Kami- God

Ano- Um

Ne- Y'know (that's my understanding, if I'm wrong and you know please do let me know nicelyl)

Gomenasai- I'm Sorry

Ohayo- Good Morning

Konichiwa- Hello

Baka- Idiot

Dobe- Idiot

Teme- (Used as) Bastard.

(O)kaa-san/sama-mother

Otou-sama/san- father

**RaRa Note:** Various techniques have been performed here and briefly touched upon in other chapters. So for the sake of negating confusion, let me list a few of them. If any One Piece fans here as well, you will already know of the inspirations.

Soru (Shave): Imperceivable speed movement. User moves at lightning speeds for quick movement, cutting thru the air like a knife with little to no draft or wind resistance. A literate Quick Step.

Geppou (Moon Walk/Step): Midair jumping. Can be used continuously if the user doesn't tire out. With enough practice the user can relatively fly great distances without ever touching the ground.

Kami-e: (Paper Art): Limping the body. The users' body goes limp in order to avoid any attacks, and float like a piece of paper.

Shigan (Finger Gun/Pistol): Finger piercing. Close range physical maneuver where the user's fingers can puncture an opponent's skin like a speeding bullet. This would be Ren's variant of the Gentle Fist technique without any Hyuuga-style training. Also can be a projectile depending on objects in hand to "flick" air at opponents.

Rankyaku (Tempest Kick): Kicking air blade. High-speed compressed air blade projectile usually produced from the legs. Able to cut past flesh and stone with ease. "Air Cutter/Slash" for Pokémon fans.

I consider these techniques to be physical arts, so they fit under the taijutsu category for me. As a fan of Rock Lee, nothing is out of reach without a little hard work and determination.


	9. Ch 8: Marry Me

**Ren Note:** So... here we are. I must admit that I was feeling kind of burned out the past few days. I mean... I stayed up all night two nights ago to finish... and RaRa and I have been working our butts off on it. I also will openly admit that I'm not sure what Chapter 9 will hold... it's in brainstorm mode right now. Also I'd like to say a special thank you to **Sweet Petit** and **Miko Hayashi **for reviewing and being so supportive and helpful. You two are the apples of my eyes! Anyways, I've talked enough. Here you go though, enjoy!

_Previously-_

_The door opened and closed. Gaara heard Ren's voice saying, "Gaara I need to talk to-" her voice halted. His eye shot open to see white eyes staring at white eyes. All four sets were wide and it suddenly became harder to breathe._

_"__What is the meaning of this," Hiashi demanded, as he was the first to recover._

_Gaara had no idea how to answer. He had sent Temari to go warn her yet here she was standing in his office. He was trying to figure out how to handle the situation. He began to sweat and could practically hear the crickets chirping while no one said anything._

_The door opened and Kankuro stepped inside. He closed the door then shock sank into him. Gaara watched as Kankuro moved in front of Ren to block her from their view. Gaara's heart clenched when he realized that he should have been the one guarding her like that. "The meaning of what, Hyuga-sama," Gaara asked blankly. Inside he was a nervous wreck but externally he was cool as a cucumber. _

_"__Who is she," Hinata asked so quietly everyone almost missed it. _

"Kuso,"_ cursed Kankuro internally._

"Shimatta,"_ thought Gaara._

"Kami help me,"_ Ren prayed silently._

_Everyone stared at Gaara expectantly while they waited on an answer to Hinata's question._

**Chapter Eight:**

Gaara cleared the lump in his throat and Ren shot him a look of helplessness. He raised his hand to beckon her over. Ren placed her hand on Kankuro's shoulder and whispered, "Arigato, Kankuro-kun, for everything." She made her way over to Gaara's side and sat on the arm of his chair with her hands resting on her lap. All eyes were on her. Kankuro followed and stood beside her.

"This," Gaara said flatly as he looked at Ren, "Is Hyogo Ren. She is my girlfriend and a Sunagakure Jonin." Gaara turned his head and his eyes met Hiashi's. They locked in a staring match. Hiashi seemed to be trying to probe Gaara for more information.

Ren kept her eyes on the two Hyuga females while they stared at her. The rest of the group kept looking from person to person. Uchiha Sasuke was the only one who seemed disinterested and stared off at nothingness. Ren considered simply looking at him instead of even thinking about the tense aura within the room. She figured that would not be a good idea though since he was now married to Hinata and she very much loved Gaara. People could easily get the wrong idea.

When Hiashi grew tired of trying to get information from the young Kazekage's eyes he crossed his arms over his chest and stared at Ren. She felt a shiver travel down her spine and noticeably flinched. Her pale white eyes locked with the Hyuga head's. Gaara reached over and linked their fingers together without looking at her. "Who are your parents," Hiashi asked Ren in an indifferent tone despite his obvious frustrations.

"Her mother is Hyogo Naoma, a citizen and retired kunoichi of Sunagakure," Kankuro stated without hesitation.

"And her father," Hiashi asked as he turned his gaze to Kankuro. He stared at the young man like he was supposed to have all the answers. His gaze was hard and his eyes slightly narrowed.

"We don't know. No one's ever asked," Kankuro replied with a hint of sarcasm. He was frustrated. For ten years he had known Ren and kept her secret. Fate, if he believed in it, was cruel. They had gone through so much trouble to keep Ren's heritage a secret. He wished he'd of had Ren put her sunglasses on before they even left the hospital. That would have solved this whole problem. He was mentally kicking himself when Ren's voice cut through his thoughts.

"M-my father," Ren looked down and took a deep breath. She needed to just get it over with. Gaara gave her hand a light squeeze to remind her that he was here for her and would protect her. Ren smiled slightly. She was very lucky to be with him. She looked up at the group and suddenly felt a little angry. These people could take everything from her. She focused her chakra to her eyes. "H-his name i-is H-Hyuga H-Hizashi," Ren said as the veins around her eyes swelled with chakra.

She quickly had to deactivate her kekkei genkai as a sharp pain shot through her head from behind her eyes. She placed her hand up to her eyes and covered them, adding pressure and praying for relief. The pain was so excruciating, Ren assumed this was because she didn't have adrenaline flowing like last time. She couldn't see the shocked expressions that fell onto all eight of the Konohans. Ren's face twisted unknowingly with the pain and she could feel tears soaking her hand. She knew she shouldn't cry for many reasons. The main two being that a kunoichi shouldn't show weakness and that crying wouldn't help her headache at all.

Gaara hadn't be expecting Ren to flash her byakugan. He also wasn't expecting the amount of strain just a few seconds seemed to cause on her. She said that she had used it on her last mission during battle. How had she withstood it? He turned to Kankuro and muttered, "Go get a medic." Gaara stood from his seat and moved in front of Ren, blocking her from the view of prying eyes. He rubbed his fingers against her temples, just as she had done for him.

"What happened," Hanabi asked as she looked up to her father. The 13 year old heiress had saw the strange woman use her family's kekkei genkai. She had heard the woman claim that she was her uncle's daughter. She didn't understand why she suddenly seemed to be in a great deal of pain.

"Orochimaru was planning on using her for an unknown purpose. Ren was in a coma several years ago and The Fourth sought assistance from the snake. He produced a serum that was to keep her muscles healthy and bring her out of her comatose state. I found documentation that it was more than that. It contained something that would cause Ren to seek him out. Now using the byakugan causes her a great deal of pain. The pain usually goes away on its own but sometimes she needs a little help from a medic," Gaara answered flatly. He knew the question wasn't directed at him but he was the best to answer it. He was the one who had read his father's diaries and documents.

"He gave her something to mess with her chakra flow to her eyes," Sasuke announced indifferently. Everyone turned to stare at him except Ren who was still trying to wish away the stabbing pain behind her eyes. "He probably wanted her to seek him out to make the pain stop. He couldn't bribe her with power like he did me. She wasn't his student and didn't admire him like Anko. He wanted her to _need_ to go to him."

Gaara was a little annoyed. He had just said that. He sighed internally and turned back to his girlfriend. Kankuro was still standing there. He looked like he had seen a ghost. "Kankuro," Gaara growled.

Kankuro jumped backwards. "Right, I'm on it," Kankuro exclaimed as he started towards the door.

"I could help," Sakura said as she stood up and cautiously walked towards Gaara and Ren. Kankuro stopped in his tracks and approached beside Sakura. Sakura was a gifted medical nin. He wouldn't need to get a medic if she treated Ren and if he wasn't going to get a medic, he would stay to protect his friend.

Gaara was hesitant. He'd known the pinkette for a long time but this was _his_ Ren she would be treating. Kankuro gave a nod to Sakura and Gaara sighed to step away and make room for Sakura. He found himself standing next to the Hyuga head. Hiashi was strangely quiet. Gaara looked at him and their eyes met. "Who is Hizashi," Gaara asked.

Hiashi looked away and stared at the ground. "He was Neji's father, my twin brother," Hiashi said quietly. His voice was lightly laced with grief, guilt, and confusion. "Why would she say he is her father? She's clearly a Hyuga but it doesn't seem possible."

Gaara rubbed the right side of his face and internally groaned. "Ren knows nothing of your clan, save a few techniques she learned from scrolls. She has no reason to lie. I do not believe she would use your brother's name in a lie. She's more cunning than that and it is unwise."

Ino stood and walked over to Sakura, Ren, and Kankuro. She didn't want Sakura to get all the credit for helping her new friend. "I can't do anything to remove whatever he did," Sakura said with a sigh, "but I've been able to relieve some of the pressure. The trip has left me pretty tired though so I can't get rid of all of it."

Ren opened her eyes slowly and nearly jumped back when she saw jade green and sky blue eyes on her. "I'll take over from here, Sakura," Ino muttered as she placed her hands over Ren's temples. She used some of her chakra to further relieve Ren's headache.

Ren sighed with relief. She was beginning to really like Ino's chakra. Sakura's was strong and gentle, but Ino's was very soothing, like a cool, light rain after a long drought. "I guess this came out sooner than I meant for it to," Ren whispered to Ino. Kankuro and Sakura were the only ones close enough to hear the conversation. "I thought that since you'd keep my secret everything would be okay. Thanks Ino-chan, for everything."

Ino nodded and told her a gentle, "You're welcome. It'll all be okay. Just you wait and see." Ino wasn't really sure how it could be but she was bound and determined to make sure her friend wasn't going to worry about it. She'd smile and act confident, just like always, and everything would work out in the end.

"You need to tell her," Gaara told Hiashi during another staring match.

"You'll need to give her to me," Hiashi retorted.

"That's not happening. She is a citizen of Sunagakure and you have no authority here."

"She's a Hyuga and our secrets need to be protected," Hiashi stated with disgust. He wasn't very fond of the idea either but the elder council would be unhappy to know that a child of Hizashi's was out there unbranded.

"No, Otou-sama," Hanabi interrupted him, "There will be no more main and lesser branches, remember? She can be the start of that." Hanabi offered a small smile to her father. She had been named heir when Sasuke and Hinata announced their engagement. She wasn't the leader yet but it didn't matter. Hiashi was so desperate to keep this daughter close that he merely nodded in agreement. He had already set things in motion to be rid of the branches to make his daughter's life a little easier when the time came for her to take over. His eyes met his daughters and there was a moment of mutual understanding between them.

Gaara watched the display with a slight smirk on his face. It was barely noticeable but he still felt the need to school his features. He cleared his throat. "Will you tell her that her father and brother are both dead or not," Gaara asked coldly. He didn't want Ren to have to go through that but she had a right to know and Hiashi needed to tell her.

The two were locked in a staring match once again. Gaara was imagining the many ways he could kill the Hyuga head. Hinata stood and quietly sputtered out, "I-I'll t-tell h-her." Naruto, Lee, Sasuke, Hanabi, Hiashi, and Gaara all stared at her. Gaara and Sasuke looked at her with admiration. It wasn't her place to tell Ren but she was willing to give such horrible news simply because her father was too stubborn. The others looked at Hinata in shock. They could scarcely believe the shy girl they once knew would be brave enough to do something like this.

Gaara nodded to Hinata when she looked at him for permission. It felt strange that she looked to him for the okay. He wasn't involved in her clans business and he didn't own Ren, he merely loved her with his whole being. He walked back to his desk with Hinata beside him. All eyes and ears were on them. "Ren," Gaara said interrupting Ino's story about shopping, "This is your cousin, Hinata." He sat back in his chair and grabbed Ren's hand to intertwine his fingers with hers for support.

Ren's eyes met nearly identical ones. The only difference was the tint. Light lavender on pale silver. Neither said anything until Kankuro cleared his throat. "Konichiwa, Hinata-sama," Ren greeted her quietly and bowed slightly.

"H-hello, Ren-san," Hinata returned her greeting. Both girls took a deep breath. "I h-have some news for y-you that might be hard to cope w-with right now," Hinata stuttered slightly.

Ren's heart dropped. They were going to brand her. She could feel it. She looked to Gaara who offered her a small smile he only revealed to her. She felt a little ray of hope shine through the darkness she started to feel. She swallowed the lump in her throat and looked back at Hinata. "A-alright," Ren muttered.

Kankuro nearly laughed at how similar the two of them were. It was like they were twins separated at birth, except for the ages. They looked a lot alike, they were both shy, and they both stuttered under pressure. He forgot all about why he and Ren had rushed to see Gaara in the first place. That felt like years ago rather than 10 minutes.

"Ano," Hinata started as she scratched her cheek nervously. She was clearly trying to figure out how to word what she was about to say. "Th-this isn't e-easy t-to say."

_"__Just blurt it out,"_ Gaara thought while he softly rubbed the top of Ren's hand with his thumb.

Sasuke appeared behind Hinata and placed his arm around her waist. "Do you want me to do it," he asked quietly. Hinata shook her head. "Then just breathe and get it out. You can do this," He instructed her in the kindest way Sasuke possibly could. Sometimes his wife needed a gentle push and a calm reminder that she could do anything she set her mind to.

Hinata took a deep breath and then informed Ren, "Hyuga Hizashi was my father's twin brother. He got married and had a son, Neji. His wife died after Neji's birth. When I was very young a ninja from Kumogakure tried to kidnap me for my eyes. My father killed the ninja to save me but Kumo demanded compensation in the form of my father's body. My father was ready to give his life but Hizashi decided to give his life instead, for the clan and the village, to keep peace. Neji-nii-san had a very hard time understanding and accepting it. We were at odds for a while but he and I became friends. Neji-nii-san died protecting Naruto and I." Hinata's eyes filled with tears and she buried her face into Sasuke's chest as he held her close. The blond male on the couch looked down and clinched his fists. Ren assumed he was Naruto.

Ren had stared at Hinata blankly as she spoke. She felt a pain in her chest she didn't understand. She hadn't known either of them. She could handle the death of the man that created her better than the knowledge she had a brother she would never know. She kept her face stoic and remained unmoving. She had long ago accepted that she would never know her father. Now she had to accept that she would never know her brother. She swallowed lightly to keep her emotions in check. What would she tell her mother?

"It's true," Hiashi muttered from across the room. He looked as indifferent as Ren did. Gaara knew she was internally devastated but keeping her emotions under control, at least for now. He was suddenly thankful Ren didn't grow up anywhere near these people. She would have been as stoic as Hiashi if she had. She had lovely smiles and he liked her better when she showed her emotions. One of them had to express themselves. He was too set in his ways to change that. He wouldn't even begin to know how to extrapolate his feelings.

Ren turned her gaze to Hiashi then Hanabi then back to Hinata. Gaara watched as she started to breathe a little faster. The door opened and closed and everyone except Gaara and Ren turned to see who it was. Ren's eyes darted to his. She looked so miserable. "Ren," Temari gasped then schooled her features. She cleared her throat and said, "The rooms are ready for our guests now. May I escort everyone to the house?" _"More like, can I get you all away from my best friend,"_ Temari thought as she felt perturbed on the inside. She'd have to find out what happened from Kankuro or Gaara, and soon. She prayed things went better than she felt they did. Ren looked emotionless, Gaara and Kankuro looked concerned, and everyone else was seemingly uncomfortable.

Hiashi looked at Gaara. "We will discuss things later, man to man," Hiashi said stoically. He stood and left the room. Everyone except Hanabi, Hinata, Ino, and Sasuke followed right after him.

Hanabi walked up to Ren and threw her arms around Ren's abdomen. Ren cringed at the unexpected touching but the girl didn't let go. Ren reluctantly placed her hands on Hanabi's back and listened as she whispered in her ear, "I'm glad there's still a piece of Neji-nii-san left. I won't let Otou-sama put the seal on you. It'll be okay." Ren smiled and rubbed her back before she pulled away. "I look forward to getting to know you, Ren-nee-san." With that she left the room skipping slightly.

Ren wiped her eyes before any tears could fall. Hanabi had called her 'big sister'. She'd always wanted siblings. Suddenly her heart ached. She had had a sibling. His name was Neji and he was dead before she could know him. "Hinata has pictures of Neji and Hizashi at the Hyuga compound. I'm sure she'd be happy to make copies for you when we return," Sasuke said as gently as he could.

Hinata nodded and whispered, "I'd be very happy to do that for you." She was so glad she had Sasuke there. It was a great idea and would surely bring her cousin comfort.

"I-I'd like that," Ren replied quietly.

Hinata boldly hugged Ren, much like Hanabi had. Ren returned the hug. "I'm sure we'll see each other again soon," Hinata said quietly, "Farwell for now."

"See ya," Sasuke said with a wave.

Ren watched the two of them disappear from the room. She took a deep breath and turned to find Ino staring at her. "I'm sorry all of this happened," Ino said kindly, "I'm sure this didn't go how you planned when you came in here. Maybe this was meant to happen. You meeting them I mean. I need to catch up but you still owe me our shopping trip!" Ino flashed a dazzling smile that Ren couldn't help but return with a small smile of her own.

"Maybe tomorrow," Ren asked eagerly. She was actually becoming quite fond of the blonde kunoichi. Her attitude and confidence reminded Ren of Momoko. She decided she really needed to write to her.

"Sounds great. How about around noon? I'll try to drag Hinata, Sakura, and Hanabi along since the cats out of the bag."

"Sure. Meet me at the academy at noon?"

"Can't wait! See you," Ino said as she ran out the door to catch up with the rest of the group.

Gaara and Kankuro had both been staring at the interaction. Neither knew what to think. Ren had looked like she was about to cry, had even wiped her eyes, then Ino came around all happy-go-lucky and Ren's mood lifted instantly. "I'm going to go too. I have some baking to do," Kankuro said with a wink. Ren's face turned green and he started laughing until she was off the chair and had her head in the trash bin. "Okay then, have fun Gaara," he said as he ran from the room.

Gaara grimaced when he saw Ren fall to her knees and hide her face in the bin. He really disliked witnessing people vomiting. With an internal sigh he moved her chair up beside her and rubbed her back. "I'm not going to allow them to take you," Gaara told her. He was pretty sure this was her way of reacting to stressful situations. "It'll be alright," He muttered.

Ren nodded when she was through heaving and Gaara handed her a tissue. She wiped her face, blew her nose, and then sat on the floor at his feet. "I'm sorry," She whispered. She was still breathing hard.

"Would you like me to take you home," he asked her while tucking some hair behind her ear.

"I don't want to go home," She said with a sigh as she leaned her head against his hand, "But I need to tell Kaasan what's happened. I also need to write to Momoko-san. I haven't done that in a month."

Gaara nodded and helped her to her feet. The two of them passed Baki in the lobby. "I need the trash taken out in my office. I'll be back soon," Gaara told him flatly. Baki nodded and Gaara continued out the door with Ren on his arm.

XXXXXXXX

Ren sipped some ginger tea to calm her stomach while she waited on her mother to come home. She should have been writing to Momoko but she forgot. Naoma had started working at the hospital again. Ren wondered if doctor-patient confidentiality would be kept even though her mother was a nurse. She really hoped so. Ren didn't need Naoma worrying over her. She stared into the cup at her reflection in the green-ish yellow liquid. She still hadn't cried but knew it was only a matter of time.

Naoma slipped inside the door and took off her shoes silently. There were only two lights on, the living room and kitchen, so she assumed Ren was taking a nap. Naoma padded into the living room to see that there was nothing out of place and turned out the light. She went to the kitchen and nearly jumped out of her skin when she saw Ren sitting there staring into her cup. "Ren," Naoma said quietly, "What're you doing sweetheart?"

Ren turned to look at her mother. Naoma's breath caught in her chest and she took a step back. The whites of Ren's eyes were bloodshot and they seemed void of all emotion. "I have some things to tell you, Kaasan," Ren said flatly. Naoma walked over to the table and sat down. "I went to see Gaara today but the Hyuga's arrived early. They know about me. The heir, Hanabi, is against having my byakugan sealed. I trust that Gaara will protect me too." Ren took a deep, shaky breath then said the hardest part, "Tousan had a son. His name was Neji. They're both dead."

Naoma felt like she ran into a brick wall at full speed. She stared at her daughter whose eyes started to tear up. Naoma went through three emotions within less than 2 minutes: worried, relieved, and now depressed. "I should have known he was dead," Naoma whispered as tears formed in her own eyes.

"Gomenasai, kaasan, gomenasai" Ren choked out as she began sobbing.

Neither moved to comfort the other. This was mourning they had to do separately. Ren explained how their deaths occurred and they both cried from where they were. No words were exchanged after that. Ren cried until she fell asleep at the table and Naoma fell asleep crying in her bed.

XXXXXXXX

"You are aware that I cannot let this go unnoticed," Hiashi stated as he sat across the table from Gaara. It was only 5:30 in the morning and Gaara hadn't slept well the night before. He had been too worried about Ren. Not having Shukaku had spoiled him. Sleep was now something he didn't think he could live without. "I'll have to tell the council. I'll have to try to convince them against coming after her. I can't just say 'because my daughter doesn't want that'. They haven't accepted my proposal to remove the branches from our clan yet. They'd think I've lost my mind."

Gaara stared down into his miso soup. He didn't want to be having this conversation so damn early. He had a lot to do since they had all arrived early. Gaara knew that Hiashi had chosen now to have this conversation for a good reason. No one else would interrupt it. "I am well aware of how your council does things. They want to keep the 'lessers' in line while the main branch prospers. Losing Neji has opened your eyes I assume, since you're taking greater care with your daughters. Ren is far from being a lesser anything. She knows very little about your clan's fighting style but has developed one of her own. She's a skilled kunoichi, without your clan's help. If you must tell your council about her, then remind them she is under my protection. I do not believe Tsunade-sama would appreciate one of her clans attempting to start a war with another village. I don't care how you prevent it but Ren will not be branded as a lesser. She's a human being worthy of respect and admiration."

Hiashi was silent while he stirred his soup. He was letting Gaara's words soak in. "You care a great deal for my niece," he stated, as if it wasn't obvious. "I will do everything I can to prevent them from considering taking her. A war is not something our clan can afford nor handle. Our numbers and bank accounts are still suffering after that everything that _Uchiha_ has done," Hiashi muttered. The way he said Uchiha made it seem like Hiashi had tasted something bitter and repulsive.

"Do you not like your son-in-law," Gaara asked flatly. He didn't really care. He didn't like Sasuke either. He just really wanted to shift the focus off of his Ren.

"He's nothing but trouble," Hiashi said with a sigh, "Hinata loves him for Kami knows what reason. I am doing my best to support her and her choices but he is not who I would have picked for her."

"Would Neji have been a better choice," Gaara asked passively.

"Between us? Yes. That was my plan. The world doesn't always give you what you plan though. Instead you lose the boy you treated like your son, gain a son-in-law who has some screws loose, and find out you have a niece you didn't know existed. How old is she?"

Gaara was taken aback by the question. It wasn't one he had been expecting. "She will be 21 on June 15th," Gaara stated.

"18 days before Neji's. He would be 20 this year. Hanabi seems to be thinking Ren will be a replacement for him. I've explained to her that that will not be the case. Hinata is excited to get to know Ren as well but she is more level headed about Ren not being Neji. I myself am slightly pleased to know that a part of my brother is still within this world. Do you believe that her mother, Hyogo Naoma, would be willing to meet with me?"

Gaara thought about it while he ate a bite of soup. He wasn't sure how the elder Hyogo would feel about it. "I will ask her later today. I have a meeting with her this afternoon. I will question her before she leaves my office and let you know her answer."

"I appreciate that, Kazekage-sama. Please explain to her that I do not wish to cause her any distress," Hiashi said as he bowed his head.

"I hope that you will not. She is recovering from stomach cancer. The doctors believe that she is fine for now but she is not to be stressed."

"I will keep that in mind, Kazekage-sama.

XXXXXXXX

Ren sat on the sand in front of the academy. It had gotten bigger since she taught there. She missed those days more than she thought she would. She considered maybe going back to teaching. She felt like her days as a kunoichi were over now. That wouldn't be so bad though, sometimes the way she felt during fights frightened her. It was like she had blood lust for no real reason other than to stay alive. She couldn't always control herself. She had been meaning to talk to Gaara about it, he was always her rock and would understand better than anyone, but there hadn't been an appropriate moment.

Ren gasped when she felt two strong arms pick her up like she weighed nothing and squeeze her into an embrace of green. "My youthful student! At last we meet face to face! I have waited for this day for too long," The green being shouted.

Ren couldn't move her arms and she couldn't breathe. Fortunately someone behind her shouted, "Lee you baka! She can't breathe like that! Let her go. Do you want people to think you're leaving me for the Kazekage's girlfriend," The woman shrieked. Ren was released and she looked over the green jumpsuit's shoulder to see a pink haired female waving her fist around.

"Forgive me my sweet Sakura. Blossom of youth, I will take better care not to cause such attention," The jumpsuit said as he turned and pulled the pinkette into an embrace that looked much more comfortable than the one Ren had just been in. He planted a kiss on her forehead and Ren watched as Sakura's anger evaporated.

"Get a room, you two," Ino's voice called from behind Ren.

Ren turned to see Ino standing with Naruto, their fingers were laced together. The blond couple was just so cute Ren had to smile. Next to NaruIno stood SasuHina. Sauske had his arm draped over Hinata's shoulder and she had her arm around his waist. They looked so good together. Hanabi was standing off to the side looking pretty lonely amongst all the couples.

"Good afternoon everyone," Ren said with a small smile. She had mostly been looking at Hanabi when she said it so the girl smiled slightly. Ren was determined not to ever let Hanabi feel like a third wheel.

Everyone returned the greeting then Sakura elbowed Lee in the gut lightly and nodded her head towards Ren. "My youthful student," Lee called to Ren, like she wasn't 10 steps away, "I will not be able to join you on your beautiful day of shopping. It is with great regret that Sakura-chan and I must return to Hyuga-sama. I will meet with you at a later time and we will spar to see how much of Guy-Sensei's teachings you have mastered!"

Ren suddenly wondered how someone who seemed so easily angered and effortlessly annoyed like Sakura could be with a guy like Lee. She would possibly go insane in Sakura's shoes. Just by what little she'd saw of him, he wasn't an easy guy to tolerate. That being said, she would forever be grateful to her long-distance sensei. "We'll see Lee-sensei," Ren said with a small smile. In truth she was feeling like if she never fought again it would be too soon. She was still so uneasy about the person she became during battles. "Also, thank you so much for helping me. I wouldn't be at the skill level I am if it weren't for all your help, Lee-sensei."

Lee flashed her a grin that reflected the sun and was almost blinding. "Do not mention it, Ren-chan. It has been an honor to help you improve your taijutsu skills!"

"Okay, okay, let's get going," Sakura said with a laugh. She hooked her arm through Lee's and waved to the group. "Have fun! We'll see you guys later," She said as she practically dragged away Lee who was ranting about youthful goodbyes.

"He's a bit much at times," Ino said.

"Yep," Hanabi agreed.

"He has a lot of enthusiasm that's for sure," Ren said with a laugh.

"So you're with Gaara huh," Naruto asked. Ino glared at his bluntness.

"Hai. I am," Ren said with a small smile and a faint blush on her cheeks.

"I'm really glad he's finally got someone. He's always been more of a loner type even after I changed his attitude with a good beating," Naruto said with a fox-like grin. Ino punched his shoulder lightly and glared at him. "He's one of my best friends now though. Anyways I'm just glad he's found love. You seem like a pretty nice person, I guess you'd have to be to snag him. He's the most unemotional guy I know. How did you do it?"

Ren blushed and kicked the sand beneath her feet while trying to figure out the best way to answer him. To everyone else she looked like a little girl who was too shy to ask for a hug or something. "W-well," Ren bit her lip then continued, "It just kind of happened. One day we were training, the next I was being sent on a 4 year long mission. I came back and confronted him about the mission and its length and," Ren's blush grew much deeper, "Well, the rest is history. Neither of us was searching for love with the other b-but that's what we found." Ren smiled and stared at the ground.

"That's great," Naruto said as he draped his free arm over Ren's shoulder, "You just make sure you keep him, alright? No one wants to see him hurt, or you hurt for that matter."

"We all see the way you look at each other," Ino said softly, "you're perfect together."

"Ren-san," Hinata said quietly. Everyone turned to look at her since she had just interrupted the touching moment. "S-Sasuke and I were talking and I may be able t-to fix the chakra network behind your eyes."

Ren blinked a few times. She truthfully never even thought about it being fixed. She figured it was something she would have to live with. "If you're s-sure y-you could," Ren said before biting her lip. Hinata gave a confident nod. "A-alright," Ren replied with a nod of her own.

Hinata smiled and stepped away from Sasuke. He crossed his arms and watched his wife carefully. He was a mystery to Ren. She couldn't picture her sweet cousin with a guy like him if she hadn't saw it herself. "I'll need you to lay down," Hinata said meekly. Ren was pleased that her stutter was seemingly gone. Ren felt like her own stuttering got worse if Hinata's did. Naruto released Ren who laid down on the sand and watched Hinata activate her byakugan. Hinata paused for a moment then knelt down beside Ren's face. "I'm going to s-send my chakra in through y-your eyes. I-it may hurt a lot but there's a blockage that needs released."

Ren nodded and stared into her cousin's eyes while everyone else formed a semi-circle around them. Hinata took a deep breath and held her finger above Ren's eyes. Ren felt a jolt of chakra enter her eye and try to flow into her system. She had to fight not to blink. Hinata continued doing it a few times until Ren felt the chakra flow into her own. She repeated the process on the other eyes. When it was all said and done Ren closed her eyes until her vision cleared. "Should I try to activate it now," Ren asked as she opened her eyes to look at Hinata.

"Hai. I b-believe so."

Ren took a deep breath and sat up. She placed two fingers up to her chin and whispered, "Byakugan." Her chakra filled the veins around her eyes and her vision changed. There was no pain. Ren smiled. "Th-thank you, H-Hinata-sama," Ren said quietly.

"No problem," Hinata said with a giggle. Both byakugan users deactivated their bloodline limit and stood. "M-may I talk t-to you i-in private f-for a second," Hinata asked. Ren's stomach dropped. She nodded. She and Hinata stepped away from the group. Both girl's wore a worried expression on their faces. "Ano," Hinata said when they were for enough away, "Are y-you aware that," She paused for a second to breathe, "Did you know you're pregnant?"

Ren's stomach clinched and she started to sweat. "Y-yeah. I f-found out y-yesterday. I," now it was Ren's turn to take a deep breath, "I was going to t-tell Gaara y-yesterday b-but th-then you w-were all in there. P-please don't s-say anything. I d-don't want a-anyone t-to know y-yet. N-not until I tell Gaara."

"I won't say anything. Sasuke and I have to go though. I'm s-sorry. Hanabi and Ino will spend t-today with you," Hinata said quietly.

Ren nodded. Hinata glanced at Sasuke. He started walking over then looked over his shoulder to say, "C'mon, dobe. Time to go."

"I'm coming, teme. Just give me a second," Naruto called back. Ren watched Naruto kiss Ino sweetly and then run after Sasuke.

When it was just Ino and Hanabi left with Ren the three girls linked arms with Ren in the middle. "So let's get some shopping done," Ino said with a grin. If she was curious about what Hinata said, she didn't show it.

"Alright! I want to find something cute to wear for Konohamaru," Hanabi said with a giggle.

"Oh and we've got to find something for Ren to wow the socks off Gaara," Ino chimed.

"As long as it's not too tight," Ren muttered under her breath. She had to see Gaara. Good thing they had a date later.

XXXXXXXX

Ren felt very sick. She was green and the gray dress she wore didn't help her coloration at all. She still hadn't told her mother. The only people who knew were Kankuro and Hinata. She crossed her legs and closed her eyes while she waited for Gaara to come in the door. He was still at his office but the maid let her in to sit in the living room to wait for him.

"Hey Ren," Kankuro said from behind her. She turned and gave him the best smile she could. "Wow you don't feel well do you," He asked. She shook her head. She felt like she would throw up. "I've got something that will help," Kankuro said, "Don't move."

She sighed where would she go? Sure the house was huge and she could wander off but why would she? She rubbed her forehead. Sometimes Kankuro was so weird. She closed her eyes for a few minutes and then opened them when she heard footsteps behind her again. She turned to see Kankuro with a cup and a plate of gingerbread cookies. "Ginger's good for nausea," He said as he held the plate out to her.

"Arigato, Kankuro,"she thanked him. She took a cookie and bit into it. She wasn't sure about this. Her body was screaming 'no' but she forced herself to chew slowly then swallow. It wasn't easy at first but after two more bites like that she felt a little better. He handed her the cup. She smiled when the aroma of peppermint tea hit her. "I really appreciate this, Kankuro. I don't think I could get through dinner with Gaara as nauseous as I was feeling."

"Hey don't mention it. It's still my job to take care of you, even if you are dating my brother," He said with a smirk. Ren shook her head and sighed. Kankuro was just a goofball. "Plus I kinda hated seeing you throw up… twice."

"I didn't exactly enjoy it either," Ren said with a small laugh.

"Right, well, Gaara should be here any minute. Enjoy the cookies but don't fill up on them. I'll see you later," Kankuro said with a wave as he walked off in the direction of his room.

Ren nibbled on another cookie. They were really good. She'd have to ask Kankuro who made them later. If Kankuro baked them then hell was freezing over, then again he did say he had some baking to do. Ren figured that was his way of teasing her for having a 'bun in the oven', now she just wasn't sure. Ren hadn't even realized she had been spacing out until two cool hands covered her eyes. Their touch was soft and gentle. "Hello Gaara," Ren said with a smile.

"How did you know it was me," he asked flatly as he pulled his hands away.

Ren blushed faintly and bit her lip while he walked around to stand in front of her. "A-ano, w-well," Ren looked at the floor, "I c-can remember what your hands feel like b-better th-than anyone's."

Gaara chuckled low in his throat and extended his hand to hers. She sat the plate and cup on the table before she took his hand to stand up. She'd take the dishes to the kitchen later, if a maid didn't beat her to it that is. She let Gaara spin her so that her back was to him. "Wear this," he said as he placed a dark cloth over her eyes, "Don't peak and I'll tell you when you can take it off. I'll guide you, if you trust me to."

"I trust you," Ren replied as he tied the blindfold. Gaara led her through the house and out the back door. "Where are we going," Ren asked quietly

"You'll see in a minute," Gaara responded flatly. They continued walking for a while then they stopped. Ren bumped into Gaara. "Sorry," He muttered, "I should have warned you I was stopping."

"It's okay," She murmured.

Gaara released her hand and gently lifted the blindfold. "Oh Gaara," Ren whispered as she placed her left hand up to her mouth. They were standing in front of the manmade pond the academy used for teaching chakra control. Candles littered the whole area, burning brightly and reflecting on the water. A picnic was set up right next to the water. Ren turned to stare at the man she loved. He had always went out of his way to try to be romantic for her but this was by far the most beautiful date he'd ever arranged. The only thing that was missing were fireflies and cheesy music. She didn't need either. It was perfect. He was perfect.

"Come on, Temari prepared a nice dinner for us. We should eat it before it gets cold," Gaara said as he placed his hand on the small of her back. They sat on the blanket and Ren was just on cloud 9. Who knew Gaara could be _this _romantic? Where had he been hiding that? She was really a lucky girl. Someday she'd marry him and they were going to be a family. Sure she hadn't told him yet but she would. She would tell him tonight after dessert.

"How was your day," Ren asked as Gaara pulled the food out of the basket. He hesitated for a second before pulling out the last container.

"Stressful," He replied before taking a bite of food. In between bites he continued talking, "Hyuga-sama will not be branding you. He's made that clear. It will be difficult for him when he returns. A man of his stature should be able to deal with it though. Your mother and I met to discuss some of her concerns. Kankuro helped around the office today so I could get more done. You may be right about me needing an assistant. Baki and Kankuro both have other obligations but help when they can. How was your shopping trip with Yamanaka-san?"

"It was fun. Hanabi kept trying on the weirdest outfits but Ino talked her out of those. We convinced her to get some cute dresses. She's wanting to impress a boy named Sarutobi Konohamaru. I bought some clothes that aren't really 'ninja appropriate' but they're comfortable. I had so much fun with them, Gaara. Hanabi wasn't as bad as I first thought she'd be. She's very arrogant and bossy but she's also nice and cares about everyone. She really looks up to Hinata-san. Oh," Ren gasped and moved to sit closer to Gaara, "I almost forgot! Hinata fixed my eyes. I guess there was something limiting the charka flow. She got rid of it and now there's no pain when I use my kekkei genkai. I know I never really used it much but being limited was terrible."

"It sounds like you had an eventful day as well," Gaara told her as he brushed her hair behind her ear. He adored her long dark hair. She wore it just like Neji and didn't even realize it. The thought amused him slightly.

Their food was gone in no time. Gaara looked at Ren and actually started to sweat a little. "I would like to ask you something," Gaara asked passively. On the inside he was a nervous wreck but on the outside he was calm, minus his sweating that is.

"What is it," Ren asked quietly. She'd never seen Gaara break a sweat before. Now he'd done so twice in as many days.

Gaara reached into his pocket and kept it there. "I would like to spend every day with you. I would like to go to bed with you in my arms and wake up with you still there every day. I want to make you happy every day that I breathe. I wish to grow old with you and love you every day that we live. Ren," He swallowed the lump that formed in his throat, "Will you become my wife? I know it's not an easy decision." He pulled a white-gold ring from his pocket. It had a pear shaped sapphire in the center and two small diamonds on either side of it. When he saw her face pale he immediately knew he should have stuck to what he and Temari had rehearsed. He'd messed up.

Ren couldn't breathe. She wanted to marry him, to be with him always. She looked into his eyes to figure out why he chose to ask her now. She couldn't find anything but worry. Did Kankuro or Hinata tell Gaara that she's pregnant? Is that why he was asking her? "Gaara," Ren whispered, "B-before I a-answer I have s-something t-to tell you." She bit her lip. She didn't mean to leave him in suspense but she had to get a grip on herself. "I-I'm pregnant," She blurted out and quickly looked down. She couldn't face him right now.

Gaara's mouth fell open and he was silent. He even forgot to breathe. _"Of course she's pregnant you dobe. You've not used a single condom during your whole relationship, what did you think would happen,"_ Gaara thought to himself. He took a slow breath and placed his hand on Ren's. She looked up at him. He didn't hate kids, at least not as much as Kankuro. Sure Gaara was scared, not that he'd admit that or show it, but he would do his best.

It was a lot to take in but he knew he couldn't dwell on it too long. Things were already in motion. He still loved Ren. He would love their child. "I will do my best for our child," He told her quietly. The hand that was on hers moved to rest on her lower abdomen. He was going to be a father. There was a little him growing there. He smiled slightly. He wasn't sure how he should feel about it. He'd stand by her and give it his all. "Will you marry me," He asked. He was practically begging her. He didn't like it, but he couldn't keep the desperation out of his voice.

Ren had tears forming in her eyes. She had half expected him to tell her he already knew. She didn't want to marry him if he was asking her just because she was pregnant. She nodded and it didn't even register when he slipped the ring on her left ring finger. She started to cry. They were tears of joy but also of relief. Gaara pulled her closer and she buried her face against his neck, soaking his black turtleneck with her tears. "I love you," She told him between sobs. They had never said it aloud and Ren wasn't expecting a response. She sniffled and tried to calm herself. It was a lot harder than it should've been.

Gaara rubbed her abdomen while he kept the other arm around her shoulders. He didn't want her to cry. He didn't enjoy seeing her tears and he had no idea why she was crying. He'd barely even heard her say she loved him. He loved her, the words should come out easily. He took a deep breath and calmly told her, "I love you as well." He heard Ren gasp and pulled back enough to look at her. She had tears streaming down her face and possibly some mucus leaking from her reddening nose but she was smiling. He felt like his breath was pulled out of his chest. She was beautiful and she was his.

XXXXXXXX

Ren was lost in thought as she washed the dishes from breakfast. Maids would do it but she wanted to do this herself. She had went home the night before excited to show Naoma Gaara's ring and announce their engagement as well as reveal that she's having his baby. What she hadn't been prepared for was what she walked in on.

_Ren's mind was up in the clouds as she opened the door to her house. It was 11:30 in the evening and Ren was surprised to see that the living room like was on. She heard her mother giggle. _"Must be watching a comedy,"_ Ren thought as she took off her shoes. She walked towards the entryway to the living room and froze as soon as it came into view._

_Naoma was giggling against her tea cup while sitting on the couch facing someone. That someone had long dark hair that was healthy but it wasn't shiny. "Hizashi and I never had the best relationship. He was robbed of his fate and I was the blame of it. Destiny is a cruel thing. I know that all too well. Hizashi and I should have tried to be better brothers. I should have tried harder. Thank you for sharing your stories with me. This has been a very pleasant evening and I hope to spend more time getting to know you and Ren," Hiashi told Naoma._

_Ren watched Naoma smile and nod. "I would like that very much. I'm sorry for considering hitting you with the vase by the door when I saw you standing on my front step. Also, thank you for deciding not to seal my daughter. She's my world."_

_"__She's also the Kazekage's," Hiashi said with a chuckle. "He has taken every opportunity to make sure that I am planning to keep my word. What I had heard of him seems to be false. He is very passionate about your daughter and her safety, more so than just because she's a kunoichi of his. It's a beautiful thing. She brings out the best in him and he gives her the confidence and strength to flash the byakugan at me despite the fact it causes her pain," Hiashi chuckled again._

_Ren really didn't want to be eavesdropping she slipped back to the door and put her shoes back on. She would just have to hope that Gaara hadn't went to bed yet. _

_She hadn't planned to stay over originally because Temari was out of town and wouldn't be back until early morning. Ren didn't really know where else to go so she had headed to the Kazekage Mansion. Gaara had actually been sitting out on the steps. He didn't ask questions but she told him what she had heard anyway. _

"Hey Short Stuff," Temari said as she spanked Ren's left buttock. Ren yelped and turned to look at her friend. "Show me the ring," Temari demanded with a smile. Ren dried her hands then extended her left hand. "He got the one I told him too," She said with a smile, "Congratulations!"

"Thank you," Ren said and hugged Temari gently. The two did a silly hopping hug and laughed. "Have you talked to him yet," Ren asked as she bit her lip.

"Yeah. He told me I'm going to be an aunt. I can't wait. He's confused but happy about it, so don't worry about that." Temari started laughing, "Be glad you didn't get with Kankuro. He hates kids so much."

Ren paled slightly and without thinking placed her hands over her belly as soon as Kankuro walked into the room. He looked at her like she had grown another head. The sight made Temari laugh louder. "What'd you do to her? Some strange genjutsu," Kankuro asked as he stared at Ren.

Ren shook her head and sighed. "I can't do genjutsu. You know that."

"Then she's finally lost her mind," Kankuro said as he grabbed a piece of bread to put in the toaster. He had to duck to avoid being hit by a butcher's knife. "Hey I was just kidding!"

"Whatever," Temari said as she put her hands on her hips.

"P-please don't fight," Ren requested with a frown.

"Sorry," They both muttered.

"Oh! Ino, Sakura, Hinata, and Hanabi are wanting me to go shopping with them again today. Would you like to come, Temari?"

"I'd like that. It'll give us time to catch up and enjoy some girl time. Maybe we'll convince them to get pedicures. My feet are killing me," Temari said with a smile. She seemed to be daydreaming and Ren could only giggle.

"Hey what am I supposed to do today," Kankuro asked with a pout.

"Your job maybe," Temari muttered.

"Gaara does need an assistant," Ren said with a giggle.

"Tch, why can't I get an off day," Kankuro muttered.

XXXXXXXX

"I'm so glad you suggested this," Ino gushed.

All 6 girls felt like they were in heaven. They were sitting in the spa with their feet soaking in warm water that was being vibrated. Temari had her head back and was practically moaning as she said, "I know. I'm full of so many great ideas."

Ren, Hinata, and Hanabi giggled. "I'll admit it, you are," Sakura said with a content sigh, "This is amazing. We need a spa like this in Konoha."

Hinata blushed faintly and said, "S-sometimes Sasuke gives me foot massages. This kind of reminds me o-of when he does. He's great with h-his hands."

"Oh I bet he is," Temari said with a chuckle.

Hinata ignored Temari's comment and suggested, "Maybe Lee-san would massage you, Sakura-chan."

"Wonder if I could convince Naruto to," Ino said dreamily.

"Father would kill me if I asked Konohamaru to do that," Hanabi said with a giggle. "He wouldn't do it anyway," Hanabi pouted a little. She liked the boy so much but he barely noticed her.

Ren didn't want in on this conversation. She was perfectly happy listening to the girls go on and on about their loves. She didn't need to tell them about Gaara, she was perfectly happy keeping him all to herself. Well, for now. She'd soon be sharing him with their baby. She smiled and closed her eyes to just listen to the conversation.

"How did you land Uchiha anyway Hinata? Sakura and Ino weren't much help in making me understand," Temari chuckled.

"Ano, well," Hinata bit her lip and looked at her knees, "I was visiting Naruto in the hospital a few months a-after Sasuke returned. He was there too and we started talking. He got on my nerves, kind of. He said some mean things and I kind of told him off b-because he was very rude. After that he wouldn't leave me alone. I don't think he meant to fall for me. I really didn't mean to fall for him. One m-minute I couldn't wait to get away from him, the next I couldn't w-wait to be with h-him always."

"That's really, uh, interesting," Temari stated. Every single girl was smiling. Ren didn't know anything about Sasuke really but that fit in perfectly with what she did know. "You keep him in line, Hinata," Temari said with a chuckle.

"Onee-chan brings out the best in him," Hanabi said with a proud smile, "And she's not as much of a push over with him around. Otou-sama has even told her he's proud of her since she started hanging out with Uchiha."

"It's true. They really do complete each other. There was a time where I'd of killed to be in Hinata's shoes but I see now that she's who he's meant for. Lee's meant for me, as crazy as that sounds," Sakura giggled, "He's so sweet. He does everything he can to make me happy. For the first time I'm more focused on making someone else happy though. My happiness comes from his. Sometimes that means watching silly old karate movies or pushing myself harder so that he's not working out alone. I don't know how TenTen was able to keep up. Sometimes I wish Kiba wouldn't have started courting her. She spends her time training with him now," Sakura paused to look at Ren, "TenTen was Lee and Neji's teammate. We've all decided that when we get back to Konoha we'll be gathering all pictures of Neji the village has and making copies for you. We're also going to have people write out things about him."

"Just because he's gone doesn't mean you can't know him," Ino said softly.

The air was now heavy. Everyone was quiet as Ren nodded. "I appreciate that so much. I still don't really know how I should feel about it. I'm very depressed to know I had a brother and now I don't but you all make it impossible to stay sad about it. You're all so kind. You're going to go through all that trouble for a silly girl you barely know," Ren said with a soft smile.

Hanabi reached out and put her hand on Ren's. "You're Ren-nee-san. You love reading, writing, strawberries, and rice. You hate mushrooms, peas, yakon, and those little bows people put on presents. You're really nice except in battle, according to Ino, and you are in love with the Kazekage, according to the ring on your finger," Hanabi said with a giggle.

Ren blushed a little and sighed. "Okay, you're starting to know me fairly well already. Those bows really are pointless though. A waste of material that takes forever to get unknotted if it's not tied just right."

"None of us will ever give you presents with a bow on it, promise," Ino said with a laugh.

Ren was eager to get them back on track, away from herself. "When will you be getting married," Ren asked Ino.

"Oh, I don't know yet. He just asked me a month ago and we haven't really had time to plan. It'll be a simple white wedding," She said with a smile, "Naruto's got his inheritance from his parents but I'd rather we save that as much as possible. Plus my parents want to keep things simple. I don't want anything fancy anyway. It'll be an intimate event where I walk down the aisle to the man I love and promise to be together always. That to me feels perfect."

"That sounds wonderful," Ren said with a smile.

"Too bad your wedding is going to have to be huge," Temari said to bring Ren out of her own wedding daydreams. "You'll be standing on the balcony of the academy with all of Suna below you."

"I don't care how our wedding is," Ren's smile grew, "I'd marry him in my birthday suit if I had to." She blushed at the thought but quickly recovered, "I'll have a beautiful wedding with the people Gaara cares about most watching. I don't like being the center of attention but I'd do anything for Gaara. He's the Kazekage so a big wedding is expected. I'm prepared for that."

"When will it be," Ino asked.

"I hope it'll be before we have to go," Sakura said.

"Can I be a part of it," Hanabi questioned with a grin.

"I'd like to be able to see it," Hinata said with a gentle smile.

"I'm sure you will all get to see it. They're getting married in a hurry," Temari said quieter than usual.

"How come," asked Sakura.

"B-because," Ren stuttered and looked around to make sure no one else would hear, "I-I'm p-pregnant."

"What," Ino yelled. The few people in the spa turned to look at the group. Ino blushed a little and laughed as she waved it off. "Nothing to worry about. I just couldn't believe the price of this. It's really a steal!"

The people all laughed and went back to what they were doing. All six girls let out a sigh of relief at the same time. "That's not why he asked you to marry him is it," Hanabi asked with a frown.

It was very clear to Ren that she needed to clarify things or Gaara may end up with an exploding tag under his pillow. She absolutely adored her youngest cousin. She wasn't afraid to prank anyone. Gaara had found that out when he took a shower. Hanabi had claimed she thought she had put pudding in Kankuro's bathroom. "No, he didn't know when he asked," Ren said with a small smile.

"How did he propose," Hinata asked quietly.

Ren's smile became a grin. She knew it wasn't the most romantic proposal on the planet, but it was hers and it was perfect.

XXXXXXXX

The table in the Kazekage's mansion's kitchen was feeling a little crowded. Gaara, Ren, Naruto, Ino, Sasuke, and Hinata were all sitting at it. If anyone else were going to be eating they would have to do so in the dining room.

Gaara disliked the dining room, he preferred the less formal environment of the kitchen. He was pleased when he learned Ren felt the same way. She had been leaning over the counter eating an apple with her back to him when he made that discovery. She was humming a song Gaara couldn't recognize but it sounded like some sort of lullaby. She was wearing one of his smaller shirts and the way she bent over gave him a great view. They had defiled the kitchen counter that morning.

Gaara had to blink to clear the thought from his mind before his pants got too much tighter. He glanced over at Ren who was watching Hinata as she talked about something with Ino. He wasn't paying attention. "Hey Gaara," Naruto said from his place at Gaara's right, "What's up with your face?"

Gaara blinked only once and tilted his head to the side. He was confused. He had no idea what Naruto was talking about. Ren turned to look at Gaara and gasped. She was standing from her seat with a napkin in hand in less than a second. "Gaara what happened," She asked as she wiped his nose.

He had a nose bleed. He pinched the soft spot under the bone of his nose and held it there while Ren held the napkin. "I'm uncertain. It's never happened before," He muttered.

"What were you doing? Digging for gold too rough," Naruto asked with a bellowing laugh.

"Quite down, dobe," Sasuke called to him from the other end of the table.

"Naruto don't be so gross at the table. We've come too far with your table manners for you to fail at them now," Ino teased.

Hinata covered her mouth to hide a laugh. Ren's eyes met Gaara's and she knew that look. She instantly felt a small fire ignite in her lower abdomen. She was suddenly very aware of why Gaara had gotten a nosebleed. Well, she was aware that it had to do with becoming aroused very quickly but she had no idea what provoked it. Was he attracted to Ino or Hinata? She certainly wasn't looking sexy right now. She was in his tee shirt and jeans. Nothing sexy about that. She almost questioned him about it but the look in his eyes told her that it was her that he was thinking about. He looked at her like he would pounce her the second they were alone. She couldn't wait.

A small smile formed on Ren's lips and Ino giggled. Naruto sniffed the air once which resulted in him being hit over the head by his lovely fiancé. "What'd I do," he groaned. He just had thought he smelled something different and wanted to make sure he wasn't imagining whatever it was.

"Don't sniff like that, it's rude," Ino scolded him, "We have to be prepared for formal dinners when you become Hokage, remember? It's not all sunshine and rainbows."

Ren was thoroughly embarrassed. In her panicked state she decided she had to take the focus off of Gaara's nosebleed and so she looked at Naruto with a smile and asked, "How is it that you and Gaara became such good friends?"

"He was my first friend," Gaara told her clearly catching onto where she was going with this and hoping it worked. His future wife was bright, even under pressure. "We met for the chunin exams, while you were in your coma," He said looking at her. He wonder if it had been ten minutes yet because he was really wanting to let go of his nose.

"Yeah. When we first met I automatically hated him. He was an arrogant bastard that thought he was so great. He was also pretty scary," Naruto admitted.

"When I first saw Gaara, I watched him kill three genin just because he said they looked at him funny," Hinata said reluctantly, "I'm really glad you aren't like that now, Kazekage-sama."

Ren pulled the blood soaked napkin from Gaara's nose and a maid came to collect it from her hands without a word. The bleeding had stopped. Ren swallowed hard and found her hand within Gaara's under the table. He looked troubled by Hinata's words. She knew he didn't like the person he was before. "Gaara had a rough childhood," Ren said quietly without taking her eyes off his, "I didn't know him very well until after he had met Naruto and decided to change his ways but even I was fearful of him." She turned her gaze to Naruto and told him, "Arigato, Naruto. Had it not been for you, my life would be a lot less happy."

Naruto blushed slightly and shrugged. "It's no big deal. It was years ago. I just did what I thought was best. I saw a lot of myself in Gaara," Naruto told her.

"Because you were both jinchuuriki, vessels for tailed beasts," Sasuke stated bluntly.

"It was more than that, teme," Naruto snarled. "I saw the darkness he was suffering in and knew that pain all too well. Gaara and I were the same. I just allowed others to save me a lot sooner."

"Y-you contain a t-tailed b-beast," Ren asked as she suddenly paled.

Naruto stared at Ren and everyone in the room stiffened. Ino was as pale as Sai, Hinata looked like she had swallowed something fowl, Sasuke's eyes were wide, Gaara was passive but internally cursing himself for not reminding her, and Naruto was blank. "What, are you afraid of me or something," Naruto scoffed.

Ren drew in a deep breath. It wasn't that she was afraid, she was just curious to know some things and wished that hadn't been Naruto's fate. His words were ones she hadn't heard in a while, just said a little differently. _"Do you fear me,"_ He would ask. _"I just don't know you yet,"_ she would respond. She couldn't respond to Naruto like that. It felt too different and warranted a different response. "Not at all, Naruto. I was just a little shocked to actually meet someone who has one. Is it as bad for you as it was Gaara? He never slept, was always irritable, and angry."

Gaara looked at her and she was pretty sure she could read his mind. _"I'm sitting right here,"_ he was probably thinking. She smiled weakly to him and he returned her smile. She was forgiven without a word.

"There are similarities and differences. Every jinchuuriki is different because every beast is different. Me, I was an orphan. Both of my parents died but my father was able to seal Kurama the Kyubi inside me to save the village. I didn't know I had it in me until I was 12. People always treated me different, ne? The only people I had in my life were Old Man Sarutobi and Iruka-sensei," Naruto responded.

Ino cut in with a smile, "He means The Third Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen."

Ren nodded and looked at Naruto to continue. "Well," He sighed out, "I sleep, laugh, and have fun. Gamabunta," Naruto was cut off again this time by Sasuke.

"His giant toad summon," Sasuke stated to clear that up.

"Yeah, yeah. Anyways, Gamabunta once told me that the rings around Gaara's eyes were from insomnia. He couldn't sleep soundly so his dreams became nightmares. Every time Gaara would fall asleep Shukaku would eat away at his psyche. He was very clear that if that happened the person Gaara once was would cease to exist. The lack of sleep is what made him unstable. For Gaara it was a heavy burden. If he fell asleep he'd eventually lose his mind and Shukaku would take over. If Gaara stayed awake there wasn't as much danger. For me I didn't have anything like that. Kurama used to be vicious and destructive but now it's all worked out and he's an ally rather than something I have to keep contained."

Ren nodded in understanding. Gaara was still thinking, _"I'm only right here, please continue speaking as if I'm not sitting Right. Next. To. You."_

"How is it that you were able to open Gaara's eyes exactly? It's been a really long time since Gaara explained it to me and I'd like to hear the other side of the story," Ren requested. She reached under the table and placed her hand on Gaara's knee. She wanted him to know she realized he was there and that she was sorry if she was making him angry. She hoped she wasn't making him angry. Shukaku or no Shukaku he was the Kazekage for a reason and she did not want to see that fight.

"When our fight was finished he had beaten me. I couldn't move and yet he still continued, using his chin to pull his whole body closer. For a change I felt fear. He could have finished me. I'll never forget his words as he inched closer," Gaara said flatly. His hand made it's way onto Ren's and gave it a light squeeze to know he was fine.

"It's almost unbearable isn't it," Naruto said as he too recalled his own words, "The feeling of being all alone. I know that feeling. I've been there in that dark and lonely place but now there are others. Other people who mean a lot to me. I care more about them than I do myself and I won't let anyone hurt them. That's why I won't ever give up. I will stop you even if I have to kill you."

Ren stared at Gaara who squeezed her hand reassuringly. She had heard this all before but it was still a scary thought, losing Gaara. She'd come close to losing him when Shukaku was extracted. Had Chiyo not given her life for his…? Ren swallowed hard. She hadn't even been here and it weighed heavily on her mind. "I asked him 'But why? Why would you do this for anyone but yourself?' I was very confused by his actions. I should have been able to defeat him but he just kept coming," Gaara said softly.

"I replied to him by speaking the truth. I spilled my heart. I told him 'Because they saved me from myself. They rescued me from my loneliness. They were the first to accept _me _for who _I_ am. They're my friends.' Then Sasuke showed up and told me that Sakura was okay. I passed out."

"Kankuro and Temari got me out of there quickly and I felt regret for the first time. Naruto's words sat heavily in my mind. I started questioning why you, Ren, meant so much to Kankuro. I asked myself why anyone fights for anyone else. I was sorry for my actions, not just in attacking The Leaf but for every moment of hate I have ever felt. We, Suna, were wrong in our actions that day. It is just good fortune that Konohagakure was so understanding," Gaara muttered.

"You're lucky I didn't go after you after I got stronger," Sasuke muttered. Hinata placed her hand on his to try and get him to behave himself.

Ren looked at Sasuke with the intent to kill. She wanted to rip his stupid eyes from their sockets. She didn't even notice that her byakugan was active. She felt Gaara's hand tighten around hers and she had to bite down on her tongue to keep from growling. "Hey, teme," Naruto glared, "You would have stepped one foot within Suna and been taken back home a hell of a lot sooner. Don't go around acting like you're better than everyone else. You're just pissed because you couldn't beat Gaara. I thought we were past that," Naruto scoffed.

Ino's eyes were narrowed as she stared at the Uchiha. "Naruto's right. You can't talk like that Sasuke. There's always someone stronger, faster, smarter. You don't know who that will be."

"Sasuke please," Hinata plead.

"Fine," Sasuke scowled, "I apologize for my behavior." He looked at Ren and their eyes met. She was looking right through them to the nerves behind those eyes. She could probably have them out with the soup spoon if she were fast enough. Of course she could be if she really tried. "You can relax now," Sasuke mocked her, "I'm not interested in hurting your boyfriend anymore."

Ren's eyes narrowed and she nearly stood but Gaara kept her hand held tight. She turned to look at him and he flashed her one of his smiles. Ren's anger faded immediately. The veins around her eyes returned to normal and she had to blink to adjust to the change in vision.

Hinata, Ino, and Naruto all three let out breaths of relief. Gaara pulled Ren closer and pressed his lips gently against her temple. "He's just trying to get a rouse out of you," Gaara whispered to Ren before planting a second soft kiss on her temple. Ren relaxed considerably. She still didn't like that _teme_ but would put up with him, for Gaara and Hinata.

"Kazekage-sama," Ino said from next to Naruto, "I'm glad you've grown out of your blood-lust days too. I know I've never really said anything but you've helped us all out in some way. You're a good friend to have."

"Ino's right," Hinata nodded in agreement, "If it hadn't been for you and your siblings I would have lost my brother. Well," Hinata rubbed the back of her head, "He's not really my brother but Kiba-kun is as close as it gets without being blood."

"You're welcome," Gaara said flatly.

"Well then, what's for desert," Naruto asked with a sly grin.

"Hopefully nothing too sweet," Sasuke muttered. All hostility had left him. Ren couldn't figure the guy out.

"We'll be having chocolate covered strawberries and ice cream. There is a less sweet vanilla for you, Sasuke," Gaara told them. Everyone seemed fine with this. Ren was more than fine with it. She _loved_ strawberries so much. All of her anger was forgotten as Gaara offered her a strawberry.

XXXXXXXX

_Dear Momoko,_

_It's been a while since I wrote to you, I apologize for that. How's the baby? I know you were due to have him or her last month but I never received word. I hope you're doing well. I miss you. I met a girl named Ino who reminds me of you a lot. She adores shopping, is always happy, can be bossy, and has a big heart. She's engaged to a guy named Uzumaki Naruto. He's a really nice guy. He's energetic with a big heart. He was Gaara's first friend so I'm determined to be his friend too. _

_A lot has happened to me. In my last letter I told you that Gaara and I had taken our relationship to a 'more than friends' level. Well, I'm pregnant with his baby and soon to be Mrs. Sabaku Gaara. That's big news right? Kaasan took the news about my pregnancy much better than I expected. I assume that's because Gaara asked me to be his wife. He's been great to me. I expected him to be angry or distressed when I told him. He stayed quiet and I could practically hear his brain working through it. He seemed happy about it, well as happy as Kazekage-sama gets. _

_I met my father's family. Turns out I had a brother, Neji, who died at the age of 18 protecting our cousin. From what Ino has told me, she grew a lot after his death. I'm not sure how to handle it. I feel like I've been robbed of something I always wanted and didn't even know I had. I wish I could know him. Lee, his teammate and my long-distance-sensei, said he wasn't always the easiest person to get along with. He claims Neji was naturally talented and Lee always had to work hard to try to be as good as him. Lee's biggest regret regarding my brother is that they will never get to battle. _

_I feel like my heart is broken because of it. I knew I would never know my father but his death is still hard to accept. I lost two people who could have been very important people in my life. I don't want that for my child. He or she will have siblings and know them. I don't expect them to always get along but they will know that they are family and that that is the most important thing in life. _

_I don't want this letter to be all sadness though. I'm becoming friends with my cousins and my mother is getting along with my uncle. It's weird how often they have tea. I keep finding him over until late in the evening. I believe they spend most of the time speaking of my father, my cousins, and I. It's nice though. Kaasan is actually laughing and seems much happier. Hiashi is also acting different. He's usually so stuck up and stoic. I've actually seen him laugh and show kindness towards her. He says nice things about Hinata, Hanabi, and I when he doesn't think I can hear them. It's nice. _

_Hanabi is a little firecracker! I love her though. She calls me Ren-nee-san. I cannot express how much that fills my heart with joy. I've been spending a lot of time with Hanabi. She's a little prankster. She's put pudding in Gaara's shampoo bottle, a cactus in Kankuro's bed, and blue dye in Temari's facial cleanser. She looked like a blueberry for three days! I'm waiting on her to do something to me. Maybe she's waiting for me to move into the house first. I'm afraid of how she'll prank me._

_Hinata is very shy so it's harder to connect with her but I love her as well. She's here for her honeymoon so I don't expect to see much of her. There's been a few days where I've been around her without her husband but usually he's right there with her. They're a cute couple. He doesn't say much and when he does his voice is usually arrogant unless it's to her. He's a teme without her. She's quiet but never really has anything mean to say, except to Sasuke, her husband. They're so good together it's downright silly._

_I have also met a girl named Sakura. She has pink hair and a big forehead. Ino calls her 'Billboard Brow' or 'Forehead' but it's not spiteful. Hinata told me that it used to be but now that they're friends it's more like pet names. Ino is 'Ino-pig' to Sakura. She's dating Lee and they're polar opposites. She's short tempered and has a tendency to hit I've noticed. Lee's energetic and optimistic. He can be a lot to take at times though. He's always pulling me into bear hugs that make it hard to breathe. Sakura's really gentle with him though. It's like she's a different person when she's dealing with Lee instead of Naruto, Ino's fiancé. _

_I've met so many new people since I came home. I miss you dearly but I am so glad to be in Sunagakure and living my life. How are Tamotsu and Yoshihiro? I should really write to Yoshihiro. He's still my friend and I haven't been a very good one. Distance is no excuse. I'll write to him after this. I'd life for you to come to my wedding but I know that's not possible. You've had a baby and are in no condition to travel. I promise to send you pictures. I'm so glad I got to see your wedding. It was truly beautiful and it was an honor. You're like my big sister, so Momoko-nee-san, I love you. If you ever need someone to talk to feel free to write. I'll not be the quickest response because it takes time for mail but I'll always be here for you. Be safe and write back soon._

_Sincerely,_

_Hyogo Ren _

XXXXXXXX

"Hey what movie do you guys want to watch," Naruto called over his shoulder to his friends. He was sitting on the couch while Gaara and Lee were getting popcorn, drinks, and candy. It was a guy's day. The only thing that was kind of ruining it was Sasuke. He was in one of his moods. He hadn't wanted to come but Hinata had wanted to go spend time with Ren. Naruto, if he didn't know better, would have thought that Sasuke was jealous of Ren.

Kankuro came into the living room with a horror movie in tow. "We'll watch this one," he said with a sly grin. No one argued as the five of them sat down and watched the movie.

The film started out fairly simple. It was a couple moving into a new house with nice neighbors. 10 minutes in and it all went to hell. The woman ended up pregnant with a demon baby that eventually tore her apart from the inside out. The neighbors, who worshiped the devil, were there to take the baby. The movie ended with the parents dead and the baby to be raised by the Satanists. At the very end there was a flash of the child, grown up, stabbing something and blood splattering up around him before the end credits rolled.

All five of them sat there in silence as the credits rolled on. Gaara wasn't sure what to think. He was suddenly having many insecurities about his future child. Kankuro couldn't believe how messed up that movie was. This is why he didn't like kids. They were too easily shaped into monsters. That and they cried and thought everyone owed them something.

Lee was weeping into a pillow. He hadn't been able to watch a majority of the movie because it was 'too much' for him. Naruto and Sasuke both had their jaws dropped. "If I didn't want to restore my clan, I'd say that movie has put me off having children," Sasuke muttered.

"There will be no little Lee's running around now. My youthful desire for reproduction with my blossom of love is ruined," Lee said from behind the pillow.

"I'm still gonna have kids with Ino," Naruto said with a shrug. Everyone looked at him dumbfounded. Even Gaara would have sworn off children if he wasn't already expecting one. He prayed it wouldn't be a demon. He'd spent his childhood as one. He prayed that wouldn't be mirrored back. "What? She's smoking hot and would be a great mother. If our kids start getting outta line. Bam!" Naruto punched his fist into his palm, "She can do some mind jutsu and make 'em behave."

"That's not how it works, dobe," Sasuke chuckled.

"Yeah plus I don't think that'd teach your kids anything," Kankuro stated.

"Well, either way. We'll be making lots of little Uzumaki's," Naruto said as he wiggled his eyebrows around.

Kankuro chuckles, Sasuke rolled his eyes, Lee stared at Naruto like he was his hero, and Gaara stared at them all blankly.

"Hey Gaara," Naruto waved his hand in front of Gaara's face, "You alright? You look like you've seen a ghost or something."

"I'm going to be a father," Gaara stated in a daze.

"Damn," Sasuke grunted.

"Already," Lee asked innocently.

"You sure are a fast worker. Ren-chan is pretty hot though. If I didn't have Ino and you weren't in the picture I'd chase her like a fox chases mice," Naruto stated.

"She does have a nice ass," Kankuro muttered and Sasuke smirked.

"How dare you all talk about Ren-chan like she is a piece of meat waiting to be devoured," Lee shouted.

"Oh please," Kankuro shrugged, "Like you haven't looked at Sakura like that. What does it for you? Her barely their chest or her perfectly round ass?"

"Maybe it's her forehead," Sasuke said with a smirk.

"Sakura is a beautiful person even if she can be very abusive at times," Naruto rushed to her defense.

"Yeah! Sakura is a beautiful person with a big heart. She is kind and gentle and smart. She gives the best handjobs in the world," Lee blurted out. Then he blushed and covered his mouth when he realized what he had just said.

"Hand jobs? That's what you like about her," Kankuro asked with a brow raised.

Everyone except Gaara and Lee erupted into fits of laughter. "What is said in this room remains between us," Gaara informed them with glares that promised death if they did not comply. All men nodded. "Good," Gaara said with a nod.

"Hey Gaara," Sasuke smirked, "I've been meaning to ask if she's as firey in the bed as she is when she's defending you."

Gaara suddenly had the urge to punch Sasuke for three reasons. The first being that it was none of Sasuke's business how Ren behaved in private. Two: Gaara wasn't sure how he could even begin to answer that question. And Three: he didn't need Ren to protect him and hated that Sasuke had even implied that he did.

Gaara was about to launch himself at Sasuke when Kankuro spoke, "You should hear it. He makes her scream practically and it lasts for hours. I swear some nights I don't get any sleep. It's like now that they're engaged and she's already pregnant they're going at it like rabbits."

All eyes were on Gaara. Sasuke looked indifferent, Naruto looked envious, Kankuro was waiting for his brother's reaction, and Lee looked at Gaara as if he were a god. Gaara didn't know the best way to handle the situation. He sat there and slowly heat traveled up his neck to his face, all the way into his hairline. He was blushing as bad as Hinata and Ren sometimes did. This conversation really needed to stay within that room.

XXXXXXXX

Ren and Hanabi sat at the table in Gaara's kitchen picking at their breakfast. "Everyone's left us here," Hanabi pouted.

"Yep," Ren said with a sigh as she took a bite of her toast. She didn't want toast but she was feeling nauseous so this was the best option. She really wanted lizard tongue. It was a weird craving for her but that's what she wanted. She blamed Gaara. The baby would love his favorite foods, she was sure of it.

"They didn't even leave a note," Hanabi exclaimed.

"Yeah I know," Ren sighed again.

"Just because we know what they're all out doing doesn't mean they shouldn't have left a note! We could've forgotten for all they know!"

Ren rubbed the back of her neck and stared at Hanabi. She loved her darling cousin but this wasn't as big of a deal as she was making it out to be. Gaara had kissed her and told her goodbye before leaving to his office. Kankuro had stopped in to check on her before he headed out to the boarder for patrols. Ren knew for a fact that Hinata and Hiashi had tried to wake Hanabi before setting out to do their own things. Baki and Sakura would be over any minute to escort the two of them to the shop where Ren was getting her wedding dress from. Naoma would get there when she could and Temari would meet them there around 11.

"It's not that bad, Imouto," Ren said with a small smile, "Do you not like alone time with me? Sure they left us here but we have important things to do today too, ne? We have to pick out my gown, your dress, and Temari's dress. I'm kind of relieved not to have Lee and Naruto around right now. I don't want boys standing there watching me as I come and go from the changing room trying on gowns."

"What about Baki, he's a guy," Hanabi said with a sly smile.

"He's a man who's 16 years my senior and guarding me. You can't go anywhere without a guard and Gaara has decided to have someone guarding me all the time too. I'm glad it's Baki and not Matsuri or Isago. Don't get me wrong, Matsuri's not so bad other than her hating me for being with Gaara. Isago's a great jonin and very capable. I just don't really know him. He was supposed to be my sensei but when the Fourth died that plan flew out the window so he's a complete mystery to me."

"Isago is a remarkable jonin and he was indeed supposed to be your sensei," Baki said from behind the girls. Both tensed up and Ren dropped her toast onto the floor. "Didn't mean to sneak up on you, I assumed one or both of you would notice my approach."

"I'm still half asleep," Hanabi whined.

Ren picked up her toast with a sigh. It was better not to provoke him. He'd just turn it into a training exercise of some sort. It didn't matter if you were genin, chunin, or even jonin. Baki would go out of his way to make sure you improved. That was great but Ren was tired, pregnant, nauseous, and suddenly feeling very moody. She got up and threw the bread in the trash before gathering the dishes and taking them to the sink. "Where's Sakura-san," Ren muttered.

"She's running a little late but will be here shortly. Perhaps you two should get dressed while we wait," Baki suggested.

Ren and Hanabi both looked down at their bodies. Ren was wearing one of Gaara's shirts that barely hid her underwear and Hanabi was wearing a frilly pink nightgown. Both girls blushed and rushed out of the kitchen to change.

XXXXXXXXX

"Whoa you look like a brunette Temari," were the first words out of Sakura's mouth when she saw Ren. Ren had forgotten that she didn't have any clean clothes so she had sneaked into Temari's room to borrow some, mostly because Temari had already lent her clothes in the past. Ren was wearing Temari's dark blue, elbow length sleeved dress with a slit up the right side to her knee. A red sash was tied around her waist and thin red straps were wrapped around her shoulders. Hanabi had found it funny to put her hair into four pigtails even though it was much too long to stick up like Temari's did.

"I didn't have any clean clothes. I was so excited to come over here that I spaced them," Ren said with a sigh.

"Doesn't she look so cute? She's not got a giant fan to carry around but look," Hanabi said as she turned Ren around and pointed to the twin fans tied behind Ren's back on the left side. "She's got fans of her own," she said as she giggled.

"You two really went all out when it comes to dressing like Temari," Sakura commented.

"The fans are her normal weapons. She's a Wind Release user like Temari and myself," Baki informed the girls from the doorway. "Shall we go and get this over with?"

The walk to the shop was filled with whispers and giggles between the three females while Baki walked behind them fighting the urge to roll his eyes. Once Sakura had looked back at him and then started laughing again as soon as she looked away. Did the pink haired girl forget she was on guard duty too? It was going to be a long day for him. He hoped that Gaara knew exactly what he had asked of him.

As soon as the group entered the shop the owner turned the sign in the window to say closed. Marrying the Kazekage had its perks, they had the whole store to themselves. Ren, Sakura, and Hanabi browsed the hundreds of gowns hanging around the store. Baki followed them around and was soon loaded down with four wedding gowns, three bridesmaid dresses, and three veils. He helped Hanabi and Ren get the dresses into the changing rooms then took a seat across from the doors.

Hanabi came out of the changing room first. She came out and Sakura zipped up the back of the dress. It was a sky blue floor length dress. It had long sleeves that hung loosely around Hanabi's arms, a baby doll bodice with a navy blue belt, and flowed out slightly under the belt. Hanabi stared into the mirror grinning. She didn't really like the dress but she was so thrilled that she had convinced Ren to make her a bridesmaid that it didn't matter to her what she wore. "What do you think of this one," Sakura called to the closed dressing room door.

"Just a second," Ren called from within the room. She opened the door after about a minute and stepped out. She allowed Sakura to tie her dress while she stared at Hanabi. "Well," Ren said with a forced smile, "I hate it."

"Me too," Sakura said with a nod.

"Agreed," Hanabi laughed.

Hanabi stepped away from the mirrors to let Ren move to them. Ren wore an ivory princess-like gown. It had long sleeves that flowed out at her elbows and a corset top that had barely any beading or lace. "I don't like it," Hanabi blurted out, "It doesn't suit you at all. It's not elegant enough."

"Mmhmm," Sakura agreed.

Ren ran her hand down the front of the dress and then twisted to get a look at the back. "Are you sure it's that bad," Ren asked quietly.

"It's bad," Baki said from his seat.

Ren sighed, feeling defeated. Hanabi retreated into the dressing room while Ren continued to stare at the dress. She liked it. The front door opened and Sakura, Baki, and Ren turned to look at who came in. Naoma waved and approached slowly. She had her mouth covered as she stared at the dress. "No, baby, just," Naoma paused, "Just no."

Ren sighed again and hung her head. Hanabi came out of the dressing room so Ren stepped back. Hanabi stepped up to the mirror and twirled slowly. The dress was the same color as the first but had navy lace over the sweetheart bodice that made up long sleeves. The dress flowed out just below Hanabi's naval and was silky.

"It's beautiful," Sakura muttered.

"Wow," Naoma said, "Now that's a dress."

"I really like that one," Ren said with a smile. Hanabi did look very lovely in it. The light color wasn't very flattering on Hanabi on its own but the lace over the top made it suit her well. "I'm going to go try on the next dress," Ren informed them. Sakura untied the dress and she disappeared into the changing room.

Ren came back out a little bit later wearing a dress similar to the first. Naoma spun her around immediately and sent her back to change. Hanabi tried on the other dress but it wasn't nearly as beautiful on her. The second dress was the one for her. Ren came out and returned to the changing room for a third time and was feeling like she would never find a dress.

Ren stepped out of the changing room and allowed Naoma to zip up the back. She closed her eyes tight as she stepped up to the mirror. She was afraid to look. She had liked every dress but everyone else outvoted her. She was getting tired and annoyed.

"That's the one," Temari said as she entered the store.

Ren opened her eyes and stared at the gown. It was _the one_. It was perfect. "I love it," Ren whispered.

"That's definitely the one," Naoma said.

"It's so beautiful," Hanabi exclaimed.

"You are going to knock Gaara's socks off," Sakura smirked.

"I agree," Baki said from his seat.

Naoma retrieved the veils from Baki and Ren tried them on. By the time they had found Temari's dress, accessorized, and bought all the items Ren was feeling excited, hopeful, and beautiful. She couldn't wait for her wedding day.

**Ren Note #2: **And there you have it. Are you guys excited to see (really i mean 'read a description of') Ren's dress?! The wedding is coming up! Sasuke's... well... Sasuke... and Lee's well... Lee! I really hope everyone's enjoying it. It's kind of hard to portray some of these characters. I was also having a hard time juggling having so many in one place! I hope I'm not butchering too much of what happened in the Manga/Anime because, quite frankly, I haven't seen Shippuden. Reviews are always appreciated! They make me smile and push me to get things done! Thank you for reading :)

Nee-san- Big sister

Nii-san- Big brother

Imouto- Little Sister

Otouto- Little Brother (just because I've listed big brother and sister I'll list little too)


	10. Ch 9: Boy or Girl?

**Ren Note: **Okay heads up guys… This wedding is like a modern USA wedding. I don't know enough about Japanese culture to write a ceremony like that and I'm not even going to bother pretending that I do. I got help from a website that I can't figure out how to share. :( Actually most of the stuff said there is a copy and paste. I _hate_ doing that but I'm really no good at vows and ceremonies. :( Forgive me? Also… If anyone knows anything about Japanese wedding ceremonies and would like to teach me, I would be forever in your debt. I'm planning on Sasuke and Hinata's wedding being a traditional Japanese wedding (whatever that means… I'm not sure how to word that!) So that would be helpful for one of the next fan fictions I'll be writing. Also I have a big, big favor to ask of you loyal readers… Could you share my story around? I recently deleted my roleplay accounts off Facebook and am worried that some of the people who usually read this story won't know when it's updated. I would greatly appreciate anything done to promote this story. I don't care to have more readers, those of you I already have are more than I could have hoped for and the ones that keep joining into the crowd are heartwarming, but I'd like to keep the ones I have. I'll admit that this update was a rough one. I knew what I wanted to happen (RaRa and I always brainstorm and we do have the plot all worked out) but getting it executed was difficult. I felt like I was rushing myself and the chapter wasn't coming out right. Thank you all for sticking with me. I know that this update is late. I've messaged some of you saying why and now I'll tell everyone else. My real life was thrown upside down (yet again) and it's difficult to find time to write. I hope that you all will understand, I promise this story isn't over, not by a long shot, but I'm not sure when the next update will be. I'd love to be able to promise you Tuesday (2/10/15) but I don't like making promises I can't be sure I'll keep. I would also like to thank **Sweet Petit** for the request made. It's not in this chapter but will definitely be in the next! Just you wait and see! RaRa have the gears turning in our noggins!

Chapter Nine:

Ren had spent the week preparing for her wedding. She rarely got to see Gaara, which was fine by her since she was nauseous 90% of the time. She couldn't stand the smell of fish, lilacs, or sage. Every time she would get a whiff of them, she'd have to find the nearest trash bin or toilet. Hanabi caught on quickly and actually stopped wearing her lilac perfume, much to Ren's relief.

When she wasn't feeling sick, it didn't feel so 'fine' that she didn't get to see Gaara. She missed him terribly. They had both been free last night but, being the night before their wedding, they couldn't see each other. That had torn Ren up inside. "Ren," Naoma called from outside Ren's room, breaking her out of her thoughts, "Are you ready to head out? We need to get to the salon to get our hair done."

"I'll be right there," Ren called back. She popped a prenatal vitamin in her mouth and finished the water in her glass. She wasn't really ready to spend hours getting her hair done but it would be worth it. She didn't want to sit in the uncomfortable salon chairs while people pulled her hair and painted her face but she knew she needed to do it. This was her wedding day and she was excited. After today she'd be living in the Kazekage mansion with her husband, sister-in-law, brother-in-law, and her mother. Gaara had talked Naoma into moving there after Ren had a breakdown about her mother being alone. The house here would be sold soon. Everything was to be moved out during the reception. Ren looked around the room that had been hers for 20 years and smiled at all the boxes that were staring at her. She had so many memories here, good and bad, but was willing to leave those behind to make new ones. She subconsciously rubbed her flat belly and smiled a little more.

Ren's hair was twisted and curled into an elegant chignon style up-do. She had a white lily crown that rested on top of her raven head. They had given her smoky cat-eye makeup for her eyelids, a light pink blush on her cheeks, and a pink lip stain as makeup. She looked at herself and grinned. She didn't usually think much of herself, and she disliked makeup most the time, but she had to admit she did look lovely, like she was glowing.

Getting into her dress had been a little more of a challenge than anyone had expected. It took Naoma, Temari, and Hanabi to get the dress over her head without messing up her hair and makeup. Ren was so glad she had put the white garter on her left thigh before the dress. There was no way she would be able to slip that on now.

"We really should've put that on you before we went to the salon," Hanabi muttered.

"We didn't want to risk getting it dirty," Naoma said gently.

"Yeah but we almost got her hair and makeup ruined along with the dress," Temari chuckled.

"It's on now so we're good. Will someone please zip me up," Ren asked kindly as she turned her back to the three of them. Temari handled her request in kind.

"Oh wow," Ino said as she closed the door. She was wearing a dress to match Temari and Hanabi. They wore sky blue dresses with a sweetheart bodice. Navy lace covered their chests and extended to their shoulders to make sleeves that reached their wrists. The dress was silky and began to flow out just under their navels, ending just below their knees. "You look, oh wow!"

Ren blushed brighter than the powder on her cheeks and looked in the mirror. The dress was ivory satin with white flower pattern lace covering it. The mandarin collar came up to Ren's jawline, leaving only a V-shaped amount of her throat exposed. Her whole body was covered in lace but the satin bodice had a strapless sweetheart bust line. The lace sleeves hugged Ren's arms and stopped mid-forearm. The dress began to flow out slowly around Ren's hips. Its skirt wasn't 'poofy' but it was loose and tapered down to her feet. There was a train that was only about four feet long and would drag behind her.

Temari helped Ren slip on her white, closed-toe Maryjane heels before Hanabi and Ino worked on making sure the dress was straight and situated. Ren felt like she was a doll being dressed up. She giggled silently at the thought. Naoma clipped the white lace veil to the flower crown on Ren's head. It flowed down her back to Ren's thighs. Temari fastened a simple teardrop shaped sapphire on a silver choker chain around Ren's neck, under the gowns collar. It peaked out through the V-shaped front and stood out against Ren's porcelain skin. It made Ren happy to see how lovely it went with everything.

"Okay something old," Namoa said.

"This," Temari said as she placed a white lace belt with Ren's twin fans tied to it around her hips. It suited the dress perfectly, the belt blended in well with the dress. It felt very fitting.

"Something new," Ino chimed.

"The dress is new," Naoma said softly.

"Something borrowed," Hanabi said with a smirk.

Ren sighed and Temari grabbed her right hand and raised it up. When Temari let go Ren kept her arm in the same position. Temari had told her it would be a surprise and Ren dreaded what she would make her wear. Hopefully it was not that brown beaded bracelet that Temari said she made as an academy student. Temari placed the bracelet she had gotten for her birthday from Shikamaru on Ren's wrist. It was a silver charm bracelet that had a heart charm, a leaf charm, a sand charm, and an infinity symbol. Ren's eyes began to tear up. She knew how much the bracelet meant to Temari and she couldn't believe her best friend was really going to let her wear it. It was the sweetest thing Temari had ever let her wear.

"Don't cry," Ino said quietly.

Naoma grabbed a tissue and patted Ren's eyes dry gently while she took deep breaths.

"Something blue is the sapphire necklace," Ren croaked out, wanting to finish the preparations.

She took another deep breath and smiled at her reflection in the full-length mirror. She was standing with four of the women in her life she absolutely adored. They all looked so lovely. She was starting to feel very nervous about everything though. Could she do this? She wanted to but there would be so many people. All of those eyes would be on her. Would it be like when she was in school? "I can't do this," Ren whispered so quietly that they had almost missed it. She was scared. Scared of the attention, scared of failing, scared of everything.

"It'll be okay, Ren-nee," Hanabi said taking her hand.

"Sweetie you want this," Naoma said as she placed her hands on the sides of Ren's face. Their eyes met and Naoma smiled. "You look so beautiful. You're a strong young woman and I'm proud of you. You've been through so much and are so happy. You belong with Kazekage-sama. You complete each other. I may be _old_ but I'm not blind. I see the way he looks at you and the way you look at him."

"He loves you so much," Temari said from her side. Hanabi's hand gripped hers tighter.

"You can do this. When you get out there it'll be like you two are the only ones in the world," Ino said softly.

Naoma released Ren's face and she nodded. "You're right," She said before taking a deep breath. She took a step towards the door but paused.

"It's time," Naoma whispered as she rubbed Ren's back.

"Ready to knock Gaara's socks off," Ino asked cheerfully.

"She's gonna do more than that," Temari commented with a smug smirk.

Ren nodded and took another deep breath. She was marrying the man she loved and this would be the start of a new beginning. She could do this because she wanted this. When she got there, it would just be the two of them. No one else would matter. She deserved the happiness he would bring her. She could do this.

XXXXXXXX

"I can't do this," Gaara muttered as he stared at himself in the mirror.

Kankuro smacked him on the back of his head. "The hell you can't," He growled.

"Oy, you're marrying the mother of your unborn child. Why the hell are you getting cold feet? You love her right? So what's the problem," Naruto asked with his arms crossed.

"Love is not something to be wasted because of doubts. You love Ren-chan very much and feel at peace with her don't you? The youth of your love is awe inspiring," Lee commented.

Gaara looked at his friends. He forced a smile. They were right. He did love Ren and he wanted to be with her always. Gaara took another look in the mirror, studying himself and his friends. "We look like penguins," Gaara murmured. He'd only seen pictures of them in books but knew they fit the description.

All four men looked at themselves and each other. They were all wearing black tuxedos with sky blue bowties. "Yeah," the three others said in unison with a sigh.

"It's worth it. You'll forget all about the dumb suit when you see her," Kankuro said as he patted his brother's shoulder. Once upon a time he'd have killed to be in his brother's shoes. Ren was a very special girl and he had often imagined she would be who he married, just friends or not. He was happy for his brother and only felt a little jealousy despite that. He knew full well he had blown any chance he had with Ren. She hadn't given him the time of day in years, granted she wasn't there most of it. He had come to terms with that and was glad that she found someone who made her happy, happier than he ever could.

"Kankuro's right," Naruto said with a foxy grin, "You're gonna see her and the only reason you'll think about the suit is to remove it."

Kankuro chuckled as Lee stared at the group confused. Gaara simply sighed in irritation. Why did he call these people friends? "C'mon," Naruto said as he put his hands on Gaara's shoulders to steer him towards the door, "You've got a blushing bride to marry."

"Just remember to breathe. You'll be alright," Kankuro said as he followed.

"Yes. Breathing is a good thing. We are here for you every step of the way," Lee said as he too followed.

That's why. That's why they were his friends. They were there for him no matter how petty the situation. They picked him up and dusted him off. They understood him and helped him through everything. He loved his friends. He watched as Naruto took the lead, waddling like a penguin, which made Gaara smile. Kankuro soon joined in and Lee was laughing so hard he couldn't walk straight. He could do this and he'd do it with his friends supporting him every step of the way.

XXXXXXXX

Gaara stood in front of the monk who would be preforming the ceremony since he couldn't do so for his own wedding. The monk was elderly with gray hair he wore in a comb-over style in a failed attempt to hide his balding head. He wore a green ornamental robe and held a scroll in his hands to read from. He had his back to the crowd that had gathered below the balcony to watch their Kazekage's wedding. The crowd itself was growing to be quite large. Gaara had made sure every available ninja was free to stand on crowd duty as well as to view the wedding.

Soft music started playing. The doors to the academy opened and Gaara turned his head to stare at the opening. Hanabi and Kankuro emerged. Kankuro looked like a giant next to the small 13 year old. He was so tall and she was so short. Gaara would have laughed if he weren't so composed on the outside and too nervous on the inside.

Kankuro and Hanabi parted ways. Kankuro moved to stand beside him and Hanabi stood next to where Ren would be. Ino and Lee came down the aisle next. Their arms were linked, like Kankuro's and Hanabi's had been, but they were standing as far apart as possible. Gaara could practically feel the jealousy rolling off of Sakura who sat in the second row on his side next to Baki. Ren's side held the Hyuga's and Sasuke. The two parted ways and moved to stand in their designated places.

Naruto and Temari looked stranger together than Lee and Ino had. Temari looked lovely though. All the ladies did so far. Naruto looked completely uncomfortable. Gaara could imagine the death threats as they walked. Temari probably had a kunai held to his back or something since she walked with her free hand behind her body. Gaara smirked a little. She would make sure everything went smoothly without a problem. He loved her. _"Why am I suddenly admitting to loving everyone,"_ Gaara mused to himself. He knew the answer was because he was so happy and appreciative to everyone today.

The music changed and Ren and Naoma emerged from the doorway. His breath caught in his chest and he had a hard time reminding himself to breathe until Naruto elbowed him in the side and told him to do so. She looked… there were no words for it. A small smile formed on her pink lips and he had to swallow hard to get the lump to go down. He was so sure he wanted to marry her that all doubts faded. Naoma slipped her arm from Ren's and took Gaara's hand. He noticed Naoma was shaking. Their eyes locked. _'Take good care of her,'_ he could feel her pleading with him. He nodded and she placed Ren's hand in his. Naoma stepped down from the altar and sat next to Hiashi who took her hand and offered her a tissue.

He stared at Ren and she stared back. She had tears forming in her eyes and he knew she would let them fall by the end of the ceremony. Her hands were trembling too so he rubbed them with his thumbs. The monk opened his scroll and looked between the two of them. They both broke each other's gaze and looked at him to nod. They were ready. They both knew this was what they wanted and they knew everything would be fine. Ino had been right, the only person Ren could focus on was Gaara.

"Ohayo friends, family," The monk said as he looked at the people seated on the balcony. He then turned to the crowd and said, "Citizens of Sunagakure." It was a good thing he had a microphone because his voice was quiet but echoed through the street below. There was an echo of 'Ohayo's through the street below. He turned back to the couple. "Today we are gathered for a happy occasion. We are gathered here together on this beautiful morning to be overjoyed for, and with, Sabaku Gaara- Fifth Kazekage of Sunagakure and Hyogo Ren who have reminded us that even after so many terrible things happen goodness brightens our lives. Love shines through the darkness and creates new hope. They are the promise of possibility, the expectation of joyful surprise. We are here to witness, celebrate, and honor the union of this loving young couple.

"Divine light that illuminated our hearts and gives life to each cell of our being, we give thanks for the love that has gathered us together in this place, and especially for the beautiful, heartwarming love that Gaara and Ren have chosen this day to consecrate in marriage. For all the beauty that you have bestowed upon them we give great thanks, for their open hearts and loving spirits, for their wisdom in choosing to love, for their willingness to walk on the path of true love, with all its joys and burdens and lessons. Bless them now with your joyful abundant radiance, so that the words they say, the feelings that beautifully transform them in these moments, and the dreams that they dare to dream can be lived out in their marriage. Marriage is a special place, the sheltered environment in which we can endlessly explore ourselves in the presence of another and in which we can offer the possibility of true reflection of another.

"As the writer Richard Bach has so beautifully stated, 'A soul mate is someone who has locks that fit our keys, and keys to fit our locks. When we feel safe enough to open the locks, our truest selves step out and we can be completely and honestly who we are; we can be loved for who we are and not for who we're pretending to be. Each unveils the best part of the other. No matter what else goes wrong around us, with that one person we're safe in our own paradise. Our soul mate is someone who shares our deepest longings, our sense of direction… Our soul mate is the one who makes life come to life.'

"Marriage is the incubator of love, the protected environment in which a love that is personal and touching and real can grow and, as a consequence of that growth, develop in us our highest capabilities as loving human beings. We are each still and always growing, and when we marry, we promise not only our own growth, but also our willingness to witness and withstand the ongoing growth of another human being. That is because in marrying we promise to love not only as we feel right now, but also as we intend to feel. In marriage we say not only, 'I love you today,' but also, 'I promise to love you tomorrow, the next day, and always.'

"Enfolded in joy, inhabited by hope, bathed in the infinite spectrum of light that is love, may you always be infused with it and beautifully illuminated by it. May every desire you have for your love be fulfilled, and may you be given the vision with which to clearly behold one another, the listening with which to perceive one another most genuinely, and the endless generosity of spirit with which to nourish one another's soul and sweetly keep the promises you make here today. Gaara and Ren, I remind you that marriage is a precious gift, a lifelong dedication to love and a daily challenge to love one another more fully and more freely."

Ren smiled and the first tear fell down her cheek. Gaara's heart was racing in his chest. They were really doing this. One step closer to the rest of their lives. He took a deep breath and watched the slow stream of tears fall from Ren's pale white eyes. Her makeup didn't run and she looked simply beautiful. She stared at him with hope and love and he returned it with his own gaze.

The monk continued, "Do you Sabaku Gaara, take Hyogo Ren_,_ to be your beloved _wife_, knowing in your heart that you will be a faithful friend, and a loving companion? On this special day, in the presence of family and friends as witnesses, do you give your sacred vow that you will always be with Ren and support _her_, in times of sickness and in times of health, in times of joy and in times of sorrow? Do you promise to love _her_ completely, to console and comfort _her_ during difficult times, to laugh with her and to grieve with _her_, to share with _her_ life's simplest but most enduring pleasures, to be truthful and honest with _her_, and to cherish _her_, for as long as you both shall live?"

Without hesitation Gaara nodded while saying, "I do."

"Do you Hyogo Ren, take Sabaku Gaara_,_ to be your beloved _husband_, knowing in your heart that you will be a faithful friend, and a loving companion? On this special day, in the presence of family and friends as witnesses, do you give your sacred vow that you will always be with Gaara and support _him_, in times of sickness and in times of health, in times of joy and in times of sorrow? Do you promise to love _him_ completely, to console and comfort _him_ during difficult times, to laugh with him and to grieve with _him_, to share with _him_ life's simplest but most enduring pleasures, to be truthful and honest with _him_, and to cherish _him_, for as long as you both shall live?"

Ren took a shaky breath and squeaked out, "I do." She had to quietly clear her throat then repeat herself in a calmer voice, "I do."

"May I have the rings," the monk asked looking at Naruto and then Temari. Naruto pulled the ring Gaara would give to Ren out of his pocket while Temari handed Ren's ring for Gaara to the monk. He took both rings and then continued, "Gaara and Ren's rings are an external and visible sign of the internal and spiritual bond of love which unites their two hearts. May they serve as a seal of the vows Gaara and Ren have made to one another. These rings are symbols of eternity, beauty and strength. May this couple ever live in harmony, unity, love, and happiness from this day forward."

The monk handed the ring for Ren to Gaara. "Gaara, as you place the ring on Ren's finger, please repeat after me: I offer my vow to you in the form of this ring, so that my word and my love, will always be with you, close to your heart."

Gaara accepted the ring and slowly slid it onto Ren's shaking left hand as he said, "I offer my vow to you in the form of this ring, so that my word and my love, will always be with you, close to your heart." The ring lined up perfectly with her engagement ring. Gaara couldn't help but feel a little pride when he saw how much she was smiling.

Ren continued to smile and took the ring from the monk. "Ren, as you place the ring on Gaara's finger, please repeat after me: I offer my vow to you in the form of this ring, so that my word and my love, will always be with you, close to your heart."

With shaky hands Ren slid his ring on while saying, "I offer my vow to you in the form of this ring, so that my word and my love, will always be with you, close to your heart."

"So, with the power vested in me," the monk raised his hands towards the couple, "I now pronounce you man and wife. You may kiss the bride." The monk smiled and winked at Gaara.

The two of them released hands and Gaara wrapped his arms around Ren's waist to pull her body against his. She wrapped her arms around his neck, their eyes never leaving each other. He hesitated a moment as he stared into his _wife's_ white eyes. She smiled and he pressed his lips against hers in a chaste kiss, the first one of those he had ever given her. It lasted only half a minute but it was enough to get the crowd whistling and shouting encouragement. Their family and friends stood and applauded along with the crowd.

XXXXXXXX

The largest training room in the academy was lit with the soft glow of candles and dimmed lamps. There were tables set up for dinning, one to hold gifts, and another with the cake. There was a clear space for dancing. The room was filled with family, friends, and citizens of Suna who wanted to wish the newlyweds well.

"Could I have everyone's attention please," Naruto said as he gently tapped a knife against his wine glass and stood up. He was handed a microphone that he held awkwardly. "I, uh, I'm not very good with speeches like this but as the best man it's my job to start off the toasts and as future Hokage I guess I need the practice, so here goes. When I first met Gaara I had mixed feelings about him. It's no secret that he used to be a bloodthirsty demon. He says because of him I opened his eyes and caused him to change. What he doesn't know is that our battle brought out good in me too. I sometimes doubt myself but push through anyway. Gaara gave me a reason to win and because of that I re-learned that when you're protecting someone you care about, giving up isn't an option. Gaara thinks that way now too. He's a great friend and certainly one of my best friends. I haven't known his lovely wife long," Naruto turned to face Ren and wiggled his eyebrows at her to make her blush. Everyone laughed except Ino who elbowed him in the hip.

"Ow," Naruto called out into the microphone and it squealed. Naruto cleared his throat. "Sorry about that. As I was saying, I haven't known her long but I can tell the type of person she is. She seems to be the type of person who will do whatever it takes to keep others safe. She's strong and capable but also gentle and loving. The two of them love each other in a way that's hard to understand unless you see it for yourself. They get each other. It's like they can have a conversation without either saying a word just by looking at each other. She loves him and would do anything for him. The other day my buddy Sasuke," Naruto pointed to Sasuke and everyone looked at him, much to Sasuke and Hinata's despair, "He was saying some stuff about Gaara that Ren didn't like. We all know that if there was a real threat Gaara could handle himself. Ren also knows Sasuke's reputation and abilities from the stories she's been told. Despite that she was ready to take Sasuke on just because he mildly threatened Gaara because of his twisted sense of humor. She loves Gaara enough that she'd put her life on the line for him and I know he'd do the same for her. I want to wish you both a lifetime of happiness and a whole bunch of babies," Naruto grinned and raised his glass, "To Gaara and Ren."

Temari's was the next speech. Like Naruto she was a little nervous but pushed through. "As Ren's maid of honor I get to make the next speech. I've known Gaara his whole life, he's my brother after all, and know firsthand how much of a pain he can be. There have been countless times he would even consider killing me; that was in the past though. Sometimes he can be cold and distant while other times he's calm and a great listener. When Ren came into our lives she could have easily turned away when things got rough. When Gaara pushed her to her limits she could have walked away. She didn't. She had stuck by Gaara and he's stuck by her. They've been through a lot together that most people don't even know about. I think they suit each other so well that there's no breaking their bond. Marriage is just the next step in their life together and I know that they'll meet every challenge thrown at them and they'll do it together. To Ren and Gaara," Temari raised her glass and everyone toasted.

Ren and Gaara went through the motions of every wedding reception. They cut the cake (Ren smeared frosting on Gaara's face and everyone laughed until he shoved the whole piece of cake onto her face then everyone erupted), danced, and accepted well wishes. More toasts were made throughout the reception but none were quite as meaningful as Nartuo and Temari's. Even Baki's speech was dull in comparison. Evening was approaching and the party showed no signs of winding down.

Gaara sat at a table next to his wife facing it all. Her head was resting on his shoulder and her eyes were closed. She looked exhausted. He kissed her forehead but her eyes remained closed. The only indication she was even awake was her humming. He didn't know what song that was so he decided to ask her. "What's the song that you're humming," His voice was low but loud enough to be heard of the soft music playing around them.

Ren's eyes opened and she blushed slightly. "It's called Natsuhiboshi. I learned it when I was traveling."

He rubbed his hand against the small of her back. He realized he didn't know very much about what she all she learned during her four-year mission. He would have to remedy that. "Will you sing it to me," He asked. She nodded and opened her mouth to start singing but he placed his index finger over her lips. "Not here," he murmured. She lifted her head from his shoulder and he stood up. She stood and looked around to see if anyone was watching them. "They won't miss us," he told her gently and took her hand before leading her out of the room and into a quiet classroom.

"Did you see that," Naruto asked Ino as they danced. She looked at him puzzled. "Gaara and Ren just left," He muttered.

Ino giggled a little and nuzzled his neck with his nose. "They're just going to get some _them_ time," Ino practically purred, "I'm going to do the same thing do you on our wedding day. We'll sneak away to someplace quiet and you'll have your way with your new wife."

"Ino," Naruto grunted out, "I'd wait until we got home."

She smirked a little and licked his ear causing him to shiver. "I wouldn't," She said with a wink.

Naruto wondered what had gotten into her… Then his hard crotch brushed against her waist and all he could say was, "Oh." _He_ had gotten to her without even realizing it. It wasn't his fault she looked so sexy. He grinned like a fox and kissed her sweetly. All this wedding business was making him look forward to their wedding. He couldn't wait to make her Uzumaki Ino and she couldn't wait to _be_ Uzumaki Ino.

Gaara locked the door to the classroom and turned on the light. Ren covered her mouth and laughed. "This is the classroom I taught in," she mused.

"Yes it is," he said as he walked over to his bride and pulled her into a gentle embrace. She wrapped her arms around his neck. "Sing to me," he requested.

She smiled and took a breath. "Natsuhiboshi, why are you so red? Because I had a sad dream last night. My eyes are red from the tears I've shed, swollen as I cried." She paused for a moment and he pressed his forehead against hers slightly with their eyes locked. "Natsuhiboshi why've you lost your way? I'm searching for a child who's gone afar. He can't be found though I search all day. My sad dreams come once more," She sang slowly and softly. To him her voice was beautiful, like a song bird. She could've been a singer in another life.

"It's a sad song," He said quietly.

"Hai but I like it. It's a song that I catch myself humming a lot. Kaasan says it's good to talk, hum, and sing to the baby, even if he or she can't hear it yet, so that it'll recognize our voices," She smiled proudly.

He returned her smile and pulled back a little but kept his arms around her. He kneeled down in front of her and placed his ear on her belly. "Hello in there," he said to her belly, "You be good to your mommy and stop making her feel sick all the time okay? Dad needs love too." Ren giggled and he looked up at her, "what it's true?'

"I think Naruto's rubbing off on you," She said as she ran her fingers through his crimson hair. She wondered if their baby would have his hair or hers. Would the baby have the byakugan or would it have his blue-green orbs? Who would the baby resemble more? All those questions ran through her mind every time she thought about their baby.

"What will we name him," Gaara asked as he stood back up.

"Him?"

"Yes, he'll be a boy," Gaara said passively.

Ren felt like on the inside he was grinning like Naruto. "What if it's a girl," She asked with her eyebrows arched.

"My gut tells me he's a boy."

"Well your gut could be wrong. I've been dreaming of a little girl," Ren smiled slightly.

"Your dreams are wrong," he chuckled slightly and pulled her close against his body.

"Wanna bet," she asked as she wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled his head down closer to hers gently.

"Alright. What are we betting?"

"Well, if it's a girl then you owe me a vacation of my choosing."

"And if it's a boy?"

"I'll walk around naked three of your days off."

Gaara smirked a little. "It's a deal," he said before sealing it with a kiss.

As his lips pressed against hers she pulled her body closer to his. She was suddenly hating her dress. He was hating it too. There was no skin exposed anywhere. He licked her bottom lip and she opened her mouth. He slid his tongue inside her mouth and licked every inch of it. _This_ was how he had wanted to kiss her when the ceremony ended. His heart was racing and she tasted so sweet, like the cake. Her whole body was heating up over a simple, yet dreamy, kiss.

He pulled the skirt of her dress up and she wrapped one leg around him. She moaned softly when she felt his erection as he moved his hips against her roughly. He lifted her up by her thighs and she wrapped her legs around his waist. He pressed her back against the wall and she moaned out again as he grinded against her core. "I want you," She whispered as she blushed.

That was all Gaara needed to lower her back to the floor and loosen his bowtie and unbutton his shirt enough to breathe. He unfastened his pants in the same hurried frenzy. He lifted her again and pulled her lace panties aside, ripping them slightly. "I want you too," he said huskily as he buried himself inside her dripping wet flower and pinned her to the wall. She moaned out loudly and held onto him tightly. "You'll need to be quiet," he told her while holding himself still. It was torture but he couldn't have her drawing attention to them.

She nodded and then he started moving his hips. This position was harder than he imagined. He had to keep her up and keep his balance too but damn did it feel good. He grunted as he slid deep inside her repeatedly. He felt whole and she felt complete. He pumped his hard member into her roughly and she bit his exposed collarbone to keep from moaning too loudly. The action made him groan though. She was a biter and he loved/hated that. He was going to bruise.

Her walls clamped around him so tightly he almost saw stars. She was starting to drool a little as he pounded into her. "I love you," She moaned into his ear quietly, "You and only you."

Gaara couldn't help the sense of pride that washed over him. She was now completely his and would be forever. That made making love to her all the sweeter. "I love you as well," he told her before pressing his lips against hers and pushing his tongue between them. He groaned as the muscles within her caused her walls to clinch around him. He broke the kiss and stopped thrusting into her as he looked around the classroom. He continued to hold her as he walked to the teacher's empty desk and sat on it with her on top of him.

She wasted no time before she was bouncing on his erection and moaning out. He gripped her breasts through her dress but couldn't do much with them. He was really hating that damn dress and was tempted to tear it off. If they had been at home he might have. He leaned back on the desk to lay almost flat. He propped himself up on his elbows and watched the sight before him.

His new wife was moving her hips in a quick rhythm that almost had him sliding out of her each time she lifted up. He could feel the entrance of her womanhood just barely around the head of his member each and every time. It felt amazing. She had her eyes closed and her head thrown back. He grunted a little as he suddenly felt his balls tighten. He reached forward to rub his thumb against her hard little ball of nerves. She nearly jumped and her legs twitched. He smirked and did it again.

It didn't take long for them both to lose themselves in the moment and orgasm. He sat up when Ren stopped riding him, her climax over, and wrapped his arms around her. He was breathing hard and she was breathing harder. "We have a thing for desks," Ren muttered into his neck as she closed her eyes.

"Seems that we do," He replied with a hint of amusement in his voice, "Let's hope the lock on that door works." Ren's head shot up and she stared at the door. "I was kidding," he said gently. She playfully smacked him then started laughing. "What's so funny?"

"All this just because I mentioned walking around naked," She asked with an eyebrow raised.

"No. I wanted you before we even came in here," he admitted.

"Someone's surely noticed we're gone by now," She whispered.

"Probably. Are you ready to go back?"

"I'm afraid to get off you," Ren murmured with a blush.

The task of getting her off him, cleaning up, and fixing both their outfits would indeed be rather difficult. They needed to figure out how not to ruin her dress. To quote Shikamaru, it was troublesome.

XXXXXXXX

Gaara sat out on the balcony of their hotel. They were currently in the Land of Tea. It was a nice break for the two of them. There wasn't another ninja in sight and they had had sex so many times Gaara had lost track. Gaara stared out at the water simply breathing in the cool night air. Ren was showering before bed and he was enjoying some time to reflect. So much had happened. _"I've been the Fifth Kazekage since I was 14 and care greatly for my people. I'm married at 18 years old with a child on the way. It wasn't a mistake and I don't regret it. Who would have imagined I would ever love anyone. Have I proven you wrong yet, father," _Gaara mused to himself. He knew he was not a heartless person. He was able to feel love and compassion. He was no monster like his father had thought. The Fourth was a family man except when it came to Gaara. He decided a long time ago that if he reproduced he would treat any and all of his children with love and kindness.

Two small hands found their way onto his shoulders. He was hit by a wave of apple blossoms and lavender. He smiled internally and his gaze instantly softened. He closed his eyes as Ren's hands massaged his stiff shoulders. "What are you thinking about," she asked quietly.

Gaara almost yawned. Her hands were like magic when it came to making him relax despite him knowing exactly how deadly they could be. "The past and the future," He told her softly. She didn't say anything but he could practically hear her nodding. He turned to look at her and he was met with her warm smile and gentle white eyes. His heart skipped a beat. He wondered if she would still have this effect on him in ten years. "How was your shower," he asked.

Ren removed her hands from his shoulders and started gathering her hair up at the base of her head. "It was really nice," She replied. She separated her hair into three clusters as she walked around the chair to sit on Gaara's lap. His arms instantly wrapped around her waist and he watched as she began braiding her hair. "I've been wondering," She stated before biting her lip and gathering her courage, "Does anyone know that I'm pregnant? I'm already starting to show a little. I'm not going to hide away for 6 months am I?"

Gaara stared at his wife. As if he could hide her even if he wanted to, which he didn't. His male pride wanted to parade his wife around like a medal. He never would do that to her, of course. She was his partner and the love of his life. He would much rather display that fact. She would walk beside him not behind him. He smiled at her as she braided her long, wet raven black hair. She was one of the few people he would show any emotion to simply because he felt it. His voice was passive and flat as always when he told her, "The council is aware as of the wedding. They would like to claim that the baby will be premature but that would be an unbelievable lie with there being three months between then and now. Kankuro, Temari, and Baki are on 'damage control' for when news does get out to our citizens. The council has already informed the daimyo and he has no objections since we 'did the right thing.' We both know that's not why we got married but it is not necessary that he or anyone else does."

Ren wrapped a white piece of cloth around the end of her braid and tied it tightly. "I don't really want people to believe that's why we're married but their opinions don't matter I suppose. Things are bound to be said that aren't true and will be hurtful. I'm ready for that," she said softly with a weak smile on her lips. She released the braid and it swung back behind her. Gaara rubbed her slight baby bump with his hand and her smile became more real. "I'm going to miss this," she commented and she laid her head against the crook of his neck.

"Miss what," Gaara asked as the kanji on his forehead rose slightly. They would be together always. What was there to miss?

"Being away from everything. It just being us, no one else. When we get back it'll be paperwork and visitors. You've probably got a lot of things to do with the Hyuga party departing soon."

He nodded. "I'll miss this time too. I'm sorry it's only for the weekend and the travel home," He said with understanding. Tonight was their last night here and it would be sad to leave the village. He had enjoyed having Ren beside him constantly. "I've been thinking," He stated, "I do need an assistant. You'll be busy with your wifely duties but would you like to do it?" Ren sat up and looked at him. He realized he had just started digging himself a hole. "I mean party planning and hosting events. I didn't mean cooking and cleaning or anything like that. I'd never ask you to do any of that if you didn't want to."

She nodded and rested back against his neck. She closed her eyes and said a silent thanks to Momoko for everything the noblewoman had taught her. It would be useful for being the Kazekage's wife. "I'll be your assistant if you want me to, it's not like I can take missions while pregnant. Do you think I could invite Momoko-nee-san to one of those parties," Ren asked so quietly Gaara would have missed it if she weren't so close to his ear.

"Nee-san?"

"Hai. I think Hanabi-imouto is contagious. I've been thinking about it a lot and Momoko-san is a lot like my older sister in my eyes. I miss her," Ren said with a hint of sadness in her voice.

"Well, she is more than welcome in our home at any time. Any of your friends are," Gaara told her as he rubbed her back. He really hated when she was even just a little upset.

"Arigato," Ren said as she kissed his neck.

"You're welcome. It's your house too."

"I've been meaning to ask you something else. Why did Oji-sama go to Suna? To my knowledge he's not been meeting with anyone for business purposes. He never mentioned trying to marry Hanabi off. What business did he have? He certainly stayed longer than expected as well. I know meeting me was a shock but I don't get it," Ren said softly.

"He was staying with us to take a bride of his own. The Elder Hyuga Council has suggested that he not die alone. It's amusing to think about. He informed me that he was against it and merely came to appease the council. I believe he's stuck around for you, though I could be wrong. He is a man of silence and arrogance," Gaara replied.

"He doesn't seem quite so arrogant around Kaasan. I've caught them laughing together before. It's nice, seeing her smile like that. It's nice to see him let loose a little too. Someone else I know could stand to smile more too," She nuzzled his neck with playfulness in her voice.

He chuckled low in his throat and rested his head against hers. "Perhaps in time you'll have me laughing in front of everyone. For now I am content only showing that side of myself to you."

Ren blushed slightly and carefully sat up. "We should go to bed," She said quietly, "We need to leave first thing in the morning." Gaara nodded and they both stood up to return to their room.

XXXXXXXX

Gaara and Ren arrived home tired. Ren was being quite moody, to the point that even Gaara was afraid to speak to her or look at her wrong. He internally sighed and was thankful he was patient and usually silent anyway. They were both ready to be home. Gaara let Ren go into the house first, her bag clutched in his hand. She stepped in, took off her shoes then headed into the living room. He did the same. Ren stopped suddenly and he lightly bumped her. "Sorry," he said but she didn't hear. She was standing stiff as a board. His gaze traveled to where hers was and nearly blanched.

On the couch Hyuga Hiashi had his arm draped over Hyogo Naoma's shoulder and they were kissing. It wasn't chaste. It was tongue vs tongue. He suddenly felt like throwing up. His wife seemed to have the same reaction because she was soon sprinting down the hall and a door being slammed echoed through the mansion. Naoma and Hiashi quickly separated and looked at the Kazekage. He wasn't sure how to handle this one. His eyes were wide and he almost dropped Ren's bag. Hiashi cleared his throat and Gaara's eyes darted away. This was either a really good thing or a really bad one. Gaara's gut said that for his wife it was the latter.

"Hyuga-san, Hyogo-san," Gaara said with a nod of his head.

"Kazekage-sama," they both replied in unison.

Gaara put Ren's bag on his shoulder with his own and walked into the hall after his wife. This was going to be a very bad situation. Gaara suddenly understood exactly why Hyuga Hiashi had remained in Sunagakure for this long. Kami help him if Ren was angry. Gaara had just pulled Ren away from a staring match with an iguana earlier that morning simply because she felt it had glared at her. He would have laughed if that wouldn't have been a death sentence to do so.

Gaara entered his their bedroom with caution. He wasn't sure what sight would fall upon him when he stepped inside. Ren wasn't in the room but the bathroom door was closed. He almost let out a breath of relief but reminded himself she could very well be angry. He placed both their bags on the bed and went to work unpacking them. He could hear water running and Ren mumbling to herself the whole time. She was indeed irritated. He really hoped Naoma and Hiashi were still out in the living room so they could do some damage control of their own. He really didn't want to have to try to calm down his 3 months pregnant wife. Nope. It wasn't his fault. He sighed and closed his black eyelids. He'd have to calm her down before she went out there. "Kuso," he muttered under his breath.

Ren opened the bathroom door with more force than necessary. She saw Gaara putting her hairbrush on her vanity and forced herself to take a deep breath. She had been moody enough with him as it was and none of it was his fault. She felt bad for that. It wasn't like her to be so 'hot and cold'. She walked up to him and wrapped her arms around him from behind. "Gomen," She said into his back. She felt terrible. She was still angry about what they had just walked in on though.

"It's okay. You were hot, tired, and frustrated. You didn't do anything to me. You should probably have apologized to the lizard though," Gaara teased.

Ren's cheeks heated up slightly and she gave a small laugh. She had been very irrational about it and now that she wasn't in the heat of the moment she could admit how silly she had been. "Poor little guy didn't know what to think probably," She said between giggles.

"He was quite intimidated by you," Gaara commented. He was laughing on the inside but simply smiled on the outside.

"I guess I should go talk to my mother and uncle," she said with a sigh.

"It's best to get that out of the way," Gaara said with a nod.

Ren let him go and took a few steps towards the door. "Will you come with me," Ren asked before chewing on her bottom lip. Gaara nodded and then stepped up to her to kiss her gently. He loved and hated when she would chew on her bottom lip. It made him want to chew on it himself but often times she did it when she was worrying. When she was worrying a lot she would chew on it so often that it would dry and split. He disliked when that happened. Ren released her lip from between her teeth and kissed him back. She loved this man, with good reason. He could comfort her without much effort.

They walked into the living room hand in hand and found Naoma and Hiashi sitting at opposite ends of the couch like two children who had just been separated and placed in time out. Gaara was slightly amused but when Ren's gentle face became a little harder he stiffened. The two of them sat on the loveseat in front of Naoma and Hiashi. Gaara was in front of Hiashi and Ren was in front of Naoma. _"This is going to be troublesome," _Gaara thought to himself then contemplated, _"Shikamaru has rubbed off on me. Why does Temari have to talk about him so much?"_

"Before you get angry," Naoma said softly while looking at Ren, "Hiashi and I have been spending a lot of time together. That wasn't a spur of the moment thing or anything like that." Ren simply scowled and said nothing.

"I've asked your mother to marry me and she has agreed," Hiashi stated.

Gaara raised a non-existent eyebrow and Ren's scowl increased. She was glaring daggers at her paternal uncle. "I'm supposed to be okay with this right," Ren snapped, "I'm supposed to be fine with my mother running off and marrying a man she just met a month ago? You're 42," she looked at Naoma, "and 47," she turned back to Hiashi, "years old. Shouldn't you two be acting with more sense? I mean seriously," She looked at Naoma again, "He's my _uncle_ for Kami's sake. He's the brother of the man you claimed you loved. How could either of you do that to Otou-san, to me?"

Naoma and Hiashi were both sporting frowns. "We are using our common sense. I enjoy her company and she enjoys mine. My brother found happiness for a short time with his new wife while your mother sat here alone. He has been dead for a long time. We are getting to know one another and will continue to do so after we are married. We would like to be together for the rest of our lives. Your mother will be returning to Konohagakure with me, with the Kazekage's permission of course," Hiashi said looking at Gaara.

_"__Shimatta. This is not going to go over well,"_ Gaara told himself as his eyes darted to his wife. She crossed her arms and started bouncing her left leg. He was going to be in trouble no matter which way he answered that question. He opened his mouth to speak but Naoma interrupted.

"Gomen, Kazekage-sama, but I would prefer you not answer that right now. My daughter needs to understand and I would not like to put you in an even more uncomfortable situation," Naoma said quickly. "Ren," She turned to her daughter, "Please try to understand. Do not be angry with me. You're married and having a baby. You've got your own life now and I want to have my own too. Hiashi makes me happy. I want to be happy. I see that you're happy and I know that Gaara-sama will take good care of you. Now I want to take care of me. Is that too much to ask?"

Ren frowned and stared from Hiashi to Naoma. What kind of daughter would she be to be angry with her mother for wanting happiness? Her mother could have compared the two of them. She and Ren weren't so different. Sure Ren had known Gaara for years but they didn't even date before they had sex. They rushed everything. She had no room to talk. She continued to frown but nodded. She couldn't look at them anymore so she looked away. "Alright," She murmured.

Gaara's hand squeeze hers gently and he said, "I'll get started on the necessary paperwork for your new citizenship then. I'll have to be in touch with Hatake-sama and do not know how long it will take."

"We'll remain here until all is settled," Hiashi replied.

"I'm going to take a bubble bath," Ren muttered as she stood up, pulling her hand from Gaara's gently.

"Make sure you don't make it too warm," Naoma reminded her.

Ren stared at Naoma with blank eyes for two seconds before walking off to bathe. Was her mother not just saying she didn't need to take care of her and was going to make her own happiness with Hiashi because Ren had Gaara to look after her? Ren sighed. Old habits die hard.

"Good luck with her," Hiashi told Gaara with a chuckle. "It's lucky that she's one to listen to logic even when angry though. That child will have quite the temper, I'm sure of it."

"I'm far more worried that he will take after myself," Gaara muttered before standing to follow his wife.

XXXXXXXX

Ren, Gaara, Temari, Kankuro, Naoma, and the Hyuga party stood at the gates of Sunagakure. The sun was barely above the horizon and the sky was slowly becoming lighter. There was a chill in the air; it was only spring after all. "I wish we didn't have to leave now," Hanabi whined to Hiashi, "I want to stay here with Ren-nee-san and you."

"Naoma and I will be home as soon as Hokage-sama gets through the paperwork of her citizenship. It will not be so long. Ren will come to see us for the wedding. It will not be long at all, little firecracker. Take care of your sister and remember what we discussed. The council is not to know about Ren until I return. You do not need to be the one to lie to them and I will be able to keep the situation under control when I do. Return to your training and keep the house."

Hanabi frowned and crossed her arms. She really hated this. She was the heiress. She needed to be at home for her clan but she didn't want to leave her father and soon-to-be-step-mother. She really didn't want to leave Ren. Hanabi's eyes shot to the left where Hinata and Ren were talking.

"I'm sure otou-sama has told you he's going to tell the clan that you are his daughter. It would mean that, as my older sister, you are the heiress. Because you've married in another village that role would fall to me but since I married Sasuke," Hinata's eyes glanced at her husband who was listening to whatever Sakura was saying, "I have given up that position by taking his name and joining his clan. It is better this way. It means that you have no possibility of having the seal put on your byakugan. His marriage to your mother will hopefully make things easier," Hinata said with a sigh.

"I really hope so. They both deserve to be happy and I suppose that because they wish to marry, the lie is more believable. I hope none of this bites us later though," Ren sighed as well.

"I hope not too," Hinata's words trailed off.

"I'm going to miss you so much," Ino shouted as she ran up and threw her arms around Ren's shoulders. "You've _got_ to come to Konoha sometimes and see me. I'll write to you often and bug you until you do."

Ren smiled and hugged Ino back. "I will miss you too," She whispered.

The girls parted and then she was pulled into another hug. "Take good care of Gaara for me," Naruto said as he squeezed Ren against him. Her baby bump did not deter him at all but he was gentle enough that Ren and the baby weren't hurt.

"I will, Naruto-kun," Ren said as she rubbed the boy's back.

The second she was released from Naruto, Hinata had her arms around the woman. These were more hugs than she was used to. "Take care and I'll keep in touch," Hinata whispered.

"You take care too," Ren said as they parted.

Ren's heart stopped for a second when she saw Sasuke take a step towards her. If he hugged her she would surely die. He didn't. He extended his hand to her and she took it. "Be safe," She told him gently.

"Hn," he replied with a nod, "Be safe too."

Ren hoped the hug-fest was over now but when she saw Hanabi had left her father and was running towards her, she knew better. Hanabi slowed to a stop then hugged Ren around her middle. At four months her baby bump was showing more than it had been and it made hugging her a little more difficult for the 13 year old. "I'm going to miss you so much, Ren-nee! I wish I could stay here with you," Hanabi cried out. Tears started forming in Hanabi's eyes and that was all Ren needed to develop tears of her own.

The two of them cried in each other's arms and soon another pair of arms was around them too. It was Hinata. All three were crying. They would all miss each other so much. Hinata was pulled off by Sasuke, Hanabi by Hiashi, and Ren found herself in Kankuro's arms. Ren sniffled and looked around for Gaara to find him talking to Naruto, Temari, Ino, Sakura, Lee, and the shinobi on gate duty.

She knew he was the Kazekage but that didn't make the fact it was his brother comforting her any easier. She buried her face into the black fabric on Kankuro's chest and he held her protectively. She could hear Sasuke and Hiashi offering comforting words to Hinata and Hanabi. Kankuro stayed silent and simply petted her head to let her cry it out.

"Uh, Gaara," Temari said to get Gaara's attention. She didn't like interrupting her brother midsentence but the sight she was staring at made her go pale. "Look," She said and nodded towards the three Hyuga females. She couldn't believe her brother. This could seriously cause problems. She could clearly see that the three girls were crying but Kankuro should've gotten Gaara rather than comforting her himself. Anyone who saw would have a field day with the gossip.

Gaara's gaze followed hers and his eyes hardened. He visibly stiffened and excused himself from the group. He was irritated so much at his wife and brother. What right did he have to embrace her like that? He was resting his head on top of hers and rubbing her head. She had her hands around his middle linked. Gaara couldn't see either of their faces. It didn't register with him in his rage that Hinata and Hanabi were both crying. All he saw was his brother putting the moves on his wife, who was _letting_ him. Gaara hoped the baby would kick its uncle but knew that wouldn't happen. Ren had only felt little flutters once and then Gaara couldn't feel them.

Gaara tapped Kankuro's shoulder and stood with his blue-green eyes narrowed. Kankuro lifted his head which made Ren lift hers and both turned to look at Gaara. Kankuro was sure he was going to die. He had just been trying to be a good friend. Gaara was busy with the escort teams and Ren needed someone now, not when he found time. He could've left her standing there watching Sasuke comfort Hinata but that would've made things far worse for Gaara later.

Gaara glance at Ren and realized she was crying. His eyes softened slightly. She and Kankuro separated slowly and within two seconds she was against his chest sobbing. Gaara possessively put his arms around her and looked at Kankuro. He wouldn't forgive his brother but now he understood, sort of, why. They would discuss it later. Right now Gaara didn't understand why the females were crying.

"Saying goodbye to sisters, even those that are really just cousins, is difficult," Kankuro elaborated for him. "You used to cry when Temari would leave," Kankuro informed him, "Y'know, back before The Fourth separated us from you."

Gaara nodded. He could believe that. He told Ren softly, "You'll see them soon."

"What if they die? What if I die? I've lost a brother already," Ren sobbed against his chest.

"They will be fine," Gaara and Kankuro said at the same time.

The two brothers stared at each other and Kankuro sighed. He stepped back and went to go talk to Temari or anyone but Gaara. Gaara looked at Ren and kissed the top of her head while saying, "I'll never let anything happen to you. You don't have to worry. Hanabi and Hinata will be safe as well. They are both very skilled and capable."

"So was Neji," Ren whimpered and then repeated, "So was Neji."

Gaara didn't know what to say. Neji had been a skilled shinobi. Gaara could think of nothing to say so he just held her and let her cry. An idea popped into his head. "I have some good news," Gaara said. When she looked up at him through teary eyes he continued, "Lee and Sakura will be remaining here until Hiashi-san leaves. Sakura is excited to be able to continue to watch over your pregnancy, if only for a short time more. Lee is also working on a training regimen for you for after the baby. Those are two good things." He had had to change the subject. He still was not good with comfort and was still learning. He needed to get her to think of happy things. When she smiled, even though it was weak, he relaxed a little.

XXXXXXXX

Ren groaned as she sat up in bed. The sun wasn't even up yet but she _had_ to get up. She was so uncomfortable she couldn't stand it and she needed to pee. Her muscles ached and she had to move. She glanced at the clock beside the bed and grimaced when it read 4:30 am. She rubbed her face and turned backwards to look at Gaara. He was laying on his back with his black eyelids closed. His breathing was calm and steady he seemed to be sleeping well. She was glad she hadn't woken him. Ren slipped out of bed and grabbed one of Gaara's black turtlenecks and a pair of her blue athletic pants from the dresser. She disappeared into the bathroom to change.

Ren relieved herself before she slipped the pants on. The shirt followed and she groaned silently. Gaara's shirt hugged her growing baby bump tightly. She really needed to get her own clothing that would fit her belly. She looked at her reflection in the mirror and groaned again. She looked like hell. She had dark bags under her eyes and her hair wasn't as shiny as it had been in the past. She ran her fingers through it and sighed when she came to a tangle. She didn't braid it the night before and now getting her brush through it would be frustrating. She took her time brushing her hair and stared at herself. She felt fat and ugly today.

Ren finished getting ready without looking at the mirror any more. She slipped from the bathroom, through the bedroom, and out the bedroom door with as much stealth as she possibly could. She had just closed the door when her stomach growled and she felt little flutters of the baby moving. She nearly laughed. Her hunger had woken the baby. She suddenly wanted yokan. She hated yokan. With yet another sigh Ren made her way to the kitchen. They didn't have any and she could make some herself but it would take hours before it was ready. She frowned and made a rolled omelet instead. She could go by the store and get yokan later if she was still craving it. She was pouring herself some milk when she heard someone yawn behind her. She turned to see Lee standing there rubbing the sleep from his eyes. "Ohayo, Lee-sensei," Ren said with a smile as she put the milk away.

"Ohayo Ren-chan," Lee shouted. Ren held her index finger up to her lips to indicate for him to be quieter. "Sorry," Lee said quietly with a chuckle.

Ren smiled and patted his shoulder. "It's okay, Lee-sensei. Would you like something to eat," Ren asked softly. He nodded. "Is a rolled omelet okay?"

"Yes that would be most wonderful," Lee replied. She handed him the one she had just made for herself. "Thank you, Ren-chan," Lee said with a bow, "Your cooking is the best I have ever had. It could rival Hinata-san's." He was already sitting at the table by the time he was done talking.

"Thank you but I don't think so. I have had her cooking. It's amazing," Ren said with a giggle. She got to work on making another omelet. "Ano, Lee-sensei," Ren said as she mixed the ingredients, "do you think you could help me train today? I have been doing small workouts here and there but feel out of shape."

"But Ren-chan you are almost six months pregnant. I could not possibly allow you to exert yourself," he replied after swallowing. "This is so good," He muttered before shoving more of the omelet into his mouth.

"I know," Ren sighed. She poured the mixture into the pan and leaned her back against the counter to let it cook. "I just wanted to train with you before you left. I haven't gotten the chance to yet and you'll be leaving as soon as everything is in order. It doesn't feel very youthful to let such a situation pass by us."

Lee stopped chewing and looked at Ren. Tears started forming in his eyes and she suddenly wondered what she had said wrong. She knew he could be over emotional at times but she didn't mean to make him cry. She was about to frown but his next words caught her even more off guard. "You are right! We owe it to our youth to train together at least once before my departure. It is going to be a glorious day!" Lee held his hands up in fists bellow his chin and large streams of tears fall down his face while his lips were bowed into a smile.

Ren suddenly wished she could have coffee. She would need it to deal with him. What had she been thinking? That she was fat, out of shape, and he was the perfect workout partner… that's what she had been thinking. She sighed internally and flipped the omelet over in silence. She took a deep breath and sipped her milk. _"It's coffee… It's coffee… It's coffee,"_ She kept telling herself. Mind over matter wasn't working as she watched the teary display her long-distance-sensei was giving. He wiped his eyes and grinned. "We'll head to the training grounds after breakfast, ne?"

"Of course! I will go get ready," Lee said as he stood. His food was already gone and in a blur of green pajamas so was he.

Ren sighed and finished preparing her omelet. Maybe this wouldn't be such a good idea after all. She rubbed her belly as the baby gave her a swift kick. "Gaako? Will that make a good name? I just know you're a little girl," Ren said to the baby growing inside her. She smiled and began to sing Natsuhiboshi as she walked to the table. The baby seemed to settle down and Ren almost laughed. This wouldn't be so hard would it? Sure sleepless nights, long days, and crying would be part of her life. It would be worth it. Ren was sure of it.

XXXXXXXX

Ren and Lee made it to the training grounds slower than Ren would have liked. She wasn't as fast as she used to be and that was frustrating but she knew it was because she was too afraid to move her legs too much. Lee stretched and took a deep breath. "Ah the morning air of Suna is truly magnificent. The sun's already starting to rise and warm the sand beneath our sandals as tribute to our youthfulness!"

Ren was ready to duct tape his mouth already. "Shall we get started then Lee-sensei," Ren asked sweetly. She wasn't even sure why she was annoyed with him and certainly didn't want to show that she was. She took a deep breath and began stretching as much as her belly would allow.

Lee followed her example and the two of them soon found themselves sitting with their legs spread, feet touching, and hands linked. Lee would lean back and Ren would lean forward as far as she could. Then Ren would lean back and Lee would lean forward. They had been doing stretches like that for only ten minutes when a screech was heard behind Ren and she watched all color leave Lee's face. "What are you doing," a shrill feminine voice shrieked. Ren released Lee's hands and turned to see Sakura with her hands on her hips. The pinkette's left temple was twitching and she was staring at Lee with killer intent. "You both _know_ you aren't supposed to be training too hard! He's going to run you into the ground," Sakura scolded, her eyes locked on Ren's.

Ren felt two inches tall as the girl ranted about the risks of exercising too much and exhausting herself. She told her that she had to think about the baby. By the time the medic was done ranting Lee and Ren had stood up, brushed themselves off, and were leaning against a training dummy while she paced back and forth in front of them. "My sweet cherry blossom! It is me who has caused this. It felt like it would be un-youthful to have let such an opportunity pass us by! I have been Ren-chan's sensei since after the chunin exams and so I wanted to train with her at least once," Lee said to his girlfriend.

Sakura stopped pacing and stared at Lee with her hands on her hips. "You can't do that Lee. Yes it's okay to exercise during pregnancy but I know how you train, Lee. She'd be so tired and sore and strain herself. That's not okay," Sakura said with a sigh. She could understand her boyfriend's intentions meant well but the medic in her wanted to lecture him up and down the wall.

Ren was touched that Lee had stood up for her to his girlfriend. Sakura, in truth, scared Ren. She had watched her hit Naruto so many times that Ren cringed every time the pinkette raised her voice. "Gomen, Sakura-san," Ren said sheepishly, "I was the one who suggested it. Please don't tell Gaara about this." Ren bit her lip and stared at the pinkette. There was a mischievous twinkle in her jade eyes that weren't focused on Ren.

"Tell me about what," Gaara asked from behind her.

All color left Ren's already pale face and she was so glad she was already leaning on the training dummy. She might have had her knees go out on her had she not been. Gaara had heard. Gaara knew. _"Kuso,"_ Ren thought. She knew she needed to tell the truth now. "I was training with Lee-sensei and Sakura-san caught us. She's lectured us both and no harm was done," Ren said quietly without looking back at her husband. She couldn't face him right now. He might see just how guilty she felt.

"C'mon Lee," Sakura said as she turned to leave to give the married couple their privacy. Lee bowed to Gaara then Ren before following after the medic.

"You left the bed to train with Lee? Why didn't you wake me," Gaara asked. He was still feeling a little insecure about how friendly Kankuro and Ren were. Surely he shouldn't have to worry about one of his best friends too.

"It didn't start out like that. I was just so uncomfortable that I had to get up. My whole body was aching. I didn't want to wake you up. You looked so peaceful and I know you need your rest. I wasn't expecting Lee to be up this early but I asked him to help me train because he was. I'm fat," Ren said with a sigh.

"You are not fat. You're pregnant," Gaara said as he walked to stand in front of her. He stared at her but she would not meet his gaze. He could admit that her cheeks were a little fuller but she was far from fat. It was a better look for her. She had never regained much weight after her coma and sometimes he was afraid he would break her.

Ren frowned and sighed. She knew that he had a point. She was pregnant and putting on weight was part of that. She looked up to see his eyes on her. Their eyes met, blue-green on white, and her heart sped up. She felt a kick and a small smile formed on her lips. Gaara was confused by the sudden change. "Gaara," She said as she reached out grabbed his hand. She placed it on her belly and grinned. "She's moving again."

Gaara smiled too. "Yes he is," Gaara teased. Without a thought he was on his knees with his ear pressed against her belly. "Hello little one," he said as he rubbed the spot the baby continued to kick.

"She," Ren stated.

"He," Gaara replied with a chuckle.

"Maybe we should just find out next ultrasound," Ren muttered.

"I thought you didn't want to," Gaara said before kissing her belly and standing up.

"I didn't but not knowing is killing me," Ren admitted.

"Then we'll find out," Gaara said with a nod. "Let's get you home so dad can remind mom that she's beautiful," He spoke to her belly as he took her hand.

"And how are you going to do that," Ren asked as they started walking back to the mansion.

"You'll see," he replied with a slight smirk on his face. He was going to go all out. They would have a romantic lunch and he would give her a full body massage. The idea of her being naked letting him rub his hands against her suddenly made his pants feel a little too tight. He really hoped it would lead to love making but if it didn't that was fine too. She needed to know he found her beautiful and loved her.

XXXXXXXX

Ren sat in front of three boxes in the living room. They had arrived early that morning and she was so excited. They came from Konoha and, according to the letter that was with it, contained pictures, letters, and a few of Neji's things. Ren couldn't bring herself to open them. She was excited but scared to know more about her deceased brother. It was like opening that box meant she accepted that she'd never know him. She still hadn't come to terms with it and didn't think she ever would. "Are you going to open them," Gaara asked as he placed his hands on her shoulders. He was standing behind her looking over the top of her head at the boxes.

"I don't know if I can," Ren admitted, "It's not something I'm sure I can face."

"I'm here with you. We'll go through this together. It will be good for you to see. It will help you to know him even though you never met him. It will help you move past the fact that you had a brother you didn't know," Gaara said gently.

"You're right," Ren said with a nod. She bit her lip then handed him a kunai. "Do you think you could cut them open and look through them with me? I don't want to do this alone," Ren whispered.

Gaara stared at the kunai in her hand. "You were going to open it with that," He asked. She stared at him with annoyance in her white eyes. He internally sighed. "Of course I'll open it for you," Gaara said as he took the kunai from her. He sat beside her and pulled the smallest box closer to him. In one swift movement he cut the tape and opened the box's flaps. It felt a little abusive to the sharp throwing knife. "There," he told her with a nod.

Ren had been holding her breath while she watched Gaara open the box. She exhaled slowly and reached inside. She pulled out a stack of photographs. The first picture on the stack had several people in it. She could recognize some of the faces. One was a young Naruto. Another was Sakura. They were standing next to an older male with spiky silver hair with his face covered except for one black orb. "That's the new hokage, Hatake Kakashi," Gaara said as he pointed to the man. With them stood Sasuke. Next to them was Ino, Shikamaru, Choji, and an older man with black hair. "That was Sarutobi Asuma. He died fighting an Akatsuki," Gaara informer her. He was quite handsome, Ren had to admit. Beside that team was Hinata, a boy with black hair and dark glasses whose coat hid most of his face, a brunette male with red markings on his cheeks, and a woman with red eyes and shoulder length dark hair. "Aburame Shino, Inuzuka Kiba, and Yuhi Kurenai. They were Hinata's genin teammates and sensei. Kurenai has a daughter, Sarutobi Mirai."

The last group included Lee and an older man who looked almost exactly like Lee. With them was a brunette female who wore her hair in buns and a male who looked a lot like herself. His hair was a little lighter than her own dark raven hair but his eyes were identical to hers, white with a silver tint. Ren took a deep breath and looked at Gaara. "That's Neji," Ren asked pointing to the boy. Gaara nodded and Ren smiled weakly. "We look so alike," She muttered. No wonder Hanabi was so excited to see her. They could've been twins.

Ren and Gaara looked through the photos in silence until they came to one where her brother was glaring at the person behind the camera. "He had an attitude about him," Gaara told her, "He was very confident in his own abilities and sometimes, at least for a while, it made him seem cruel. Naruto and Hinata changed his views as well."

"He was very handsome. Glaring doesn't suit him," Ren said softly as she frowned.

"No it didn't. He was very stoic though, much like your uncle. Hyuga's are very good at hiding any and all emotions," Gaara mentioned.

"I guess I'm not a very good Hyuga anymore," Ren murmured.

"You used to be very good at it," Gaara commented.

Ren nodded. "You're right. I'm glad that Momoko taught me how to show what I feel. Kaasan always told me it's okay as long as I could keep it under wraps on missions. I had a hard time separating the two though. Maybe he did too," Ren said quietly.

"Perhaps," Gaara said. He picked up a letter from another box and handed it to Ren. "Read this one," he told her. Ren opened the letter and took a deep breath before reading it.

**Dear Sabaku Ren,**

**My name is TenTen. I'm sure Lee has told you I was on Team Gai with both Lee and your cousin, Neji. I was shocked to find out he had another cousin. It's such a shame that you two will never know each other. My heart goes out to you for that. I hope someday to get to meet you. Hyuga Hanabi says you look so much like Neji it's amazing. I'd like to see for myself. Lee, Neji, and I didn't always get along but we were good friends. Neji was my rock when Lee and Gai-sensei started to go overboard. You've met Lee, I'm sure you can understand. He wasn't one for smiling and jokes but he was still good company. We all understood each other and that made our friendship and comradery strong. Neji was always there for us, through good and bad times. He was a good friend to us all and a good cousin to Hinata and Hanabi after the chunin exams. There are so many stories I could tell but writing them out on paper doesn't feel the same. I'd really like to meet you. I was told that you're expecting a baby but I was hoping that you'd be coming to Konohagakure sometime. I'm not sure I'll get the chance to go to Sunagakure. One way or another, I'd love to meet you and share my stories then. I hope to hear from you soon.**

**Sincerely,**

**TenTen**

Ren looked at Gaara with tears forming in her eyes. "She wants to meet me," She croaked out. She cleared her throat and Gaara wrapped his arms around her. "She wants to meet me and know me. I'd like to meet her, to meet them all." She looked down at her belly with tears clouding her vision. _"Please be a little girl so we can go on vacation,"_ she internally begged the baby.

XXXXXXXX

"I really wish you wouldn't be so hard headed about Temari marrying Shikamaru," Ren muttered as she sat on an exam table. She was here for her six-month ultrasound and they had decided to find out gender. She was trying to distract herself from her nervousness. She wanted to know but just wasn't sure she truly did. Once they knew that it would all be so real. The baby would have its name. She had cried when the baby first moved because it made it all the more real. It was scary but exciting. She really didn't want to think about it right now so she would try to help Temari instead. Gaara still wasn't willing to give her permission and she was actually talking about deflecting. That would not bode well.

"He is lazy, puts down women, and has nothing to offer her," Gaara muttered. He did not want to be having this conversation. He was too excited to know if they were having a boy or girl to want to be bothered by this. It kept coming up in just about every conversation he had with Ren, Temari, Kankuro, and Baki. It was growing old.

"Nothing to offer her? What does that mean," Ren asked with a frown. She was getting annoyed. She had met Shikamaru. Yes he was lazy and seemed to always be bored, yes he had complained about women countless times, and yes he had acted like he was smarter than everyone. The truth is he's the smartest person she'd ever met. Saying he had nothing to offer Temari was a boldfaced lie though.

"He wouldn't make a good husband for her. When things go wrong what will she do? Getting back to Sunagakure would be nearly impossible," Gaara answered.

"How do you know that? He has as much to offer her as she does him. Temari's a hard woman to deal with. I know it, you know it, and she knows it. He knows it too. He's willing to let her be 'troublesome' to him. He loves her, Gaara. They love each other so much. How can you try to deny them love? If I had been born in Konohagakure would you not do everything to be with me? To have me in Suna?"

Gaara looked disinterested. "If you had been born in Konoha I would not even know you," He muttered.

Ren's heart clinched and she had to look away. Did that mean he would love someone else instead? Ren couldn't imagine loving anyone but Gaara. She inhaled a sharp breath but that didn't help with her emotions. She glanced down at her belly. Did he really love her? He just practically said he wouldn't have fought to have her with him. What else was she supposed to think?

Gaara stared at her and immediately realized his mistake. She was upset. What had started out as talking about Shikamaru and Temari had turned into a discussion about them. "I would," he said quietly, "I would do everything I could to have you with me always. A life without you would be dull in comparison." It was the truth.

Ren wiped the tears that had formed in her eyes and stared at him. His face seemed sincere but she was still having doubts. "But you wouldn't know me," She whispered.

"Fate has made it so that I do know you. Kami would do the same had you been born elsewhere," Gaara replied.

A small smile twitched at the right corner of Ren's lips. She didn't want to give in yet. Her feelings were still hurt but how could she be mad at him? She loved him so much. "I love you," she murmured.

"I love you as well," He said as he stood from his seat. He wrapped his arms around her and she rested her head on his chest. "I will allow Temari to marry Nara Shikamaru," he muttered defeated.

"She'll always be your sister. She just needs to be able to live her own life and find her own happiness," Ren spoke quietly.

"Like your mother?"

"Like my mother," Ren agreed.

The nurse came in and smiled. "Konichiwa Kazekage-sama," she said with a bow to Gaara then she did the same to Ren, "Konichiwa Sabaku-sama. How are you feeling today?"

"Fine," Ren replied. Gaara released her and sat back in the chair by her side.

The nurse had Ren lay back and raise her top. Ren did as instructed and it didn't take long for the nurse to have images of the baby up on a monitor. "Baby Sabaku seems to be growing quite well. Were you wanting to know gender yet," She asked calmly.

Ren looked at Gaara. She suddenly wasn't sure. "Yes," Gaara answered for her. The look of horror that washed over Ren's face worried Gaara but it was too late to go back now.

"Alright then, let's see if we have a prince or princess in there," the nurse cooed.

XXXXXXXX

"You win so here I am," Ren said with a blush. She was standing naked in their bedroom. They were having a little boy. Ren had almost cried as she saw her vacation fly out the window but when she saw the pride on Gaara's face she couldn't help but be happy too. She hadn't cared as long as the baby was healthy but she didn't like to lose. She had been so sure they were having a little girl.

Gaara had just come in the door from telling Temari he agreed to her marriage and wasn't expecting to find his wife standing there with nothing on. Her hair was pulled up into a bun on the back of her head, exposing her slender neck to him. The curves of her body were a sight to behold. His body stiffened and he was hit with a flood of raw desire. He was frozen in place. He could only watch as she walked up to him. "This is a nice surprise," he murmured.

Ren blushed and stared at the ground until she was only a few inches from him. Sure they had been married for almost four months, together for six… but being so exposed before him was embarrassing. He knew every inch of her body and she knew every inch of his but that did little to bring her comfort at that moment. She lifted her head to stare into his blue-green eyes and bit her lip. Her body was hot, which sadly her nipples showed due to their erect state, and that was why she was naked before him. They had had sex more times than she could count but she still always wanted more of him. The feelings he sent through her were intoxicating. She felt complete while they made love.

Without a word Ren's hands found their way to his broad chest. Their eyes remained locked until he felt her pull one of the straps from his red jacket free of its buckle. His eyes darted down to see her pulling the second then the third. His breath hitched in his throat when she slipped her hands beneath his jacket and pushed it open. His eyes closed half way and he leaned down to kiss her tenderly. She returned the kiss and moved his jacket down from his arms. He could feel her fingertips brushing against the fabric of his black turtleneck shirt. His jacket fell to the floor with a light noise left ignored.

His hands found their way to her cheeks and he licked her lips to ask entry into her mouth. She stuck her own tongue out to lick his and then parted her lips. His tongues entry was swift and his strokes slow. Ren slipped her fingers under the hem of his shirt and slid up his abs to his chest slowly. She had raised his shirt up with her arms as she went and his upper body was mostly exposed to the cool air-conditioned room. He shivered slightly and leaned back, a small trail of saliva connecting them until it broke. She pulled the shirt up and he raised his arms above his head to allow her to pull it off completely. The cool air was soon forgotten when Ren pressed her nude body against him and nibbled on his right shoulder. He leaned his head back and groaned low in his throat. It stung but then she would circle the bite with her tongue and it made his head fuzzy.

Her bites became kisses as she trailed from his shoulder down his chest and then to his abs. His breath hitched in his throat when she sucked the skin just above the button of his pants. He unconsciously leaned back against the cold wooden door and watched her through half-lidded eyes. He shivered slightly and felt his erection twitch against his pants. He nearly blushed. Sex was something they did almost nightly, this was a different story. This was rare and still awkward for them both. He bit the inside of his cheek when her teeth grabbed the fabric of his pants and pulled, popping it free of the button.

There was something hypnotic about watching his pregnant wife on her knees pulling his pants down. He once again was thankful he never wore underwear. There had been a time when he had but that ended when he hit puberty hard and his dreams about this very woman ruined countless pairs of boxers. He was drawn from his thoughts when he felt a hot wet tongue brush against the tip of his erection, circling around the hole there. His member twitched and he groaned. It was just so sensitive and felt so good.

He closed his eyes and missed the small smile that formed on Ren's lips. She couldn't help it, bringing him pleasure was an ego-booster. She had been mad at him until she found out they were having a boy. All that anger was erased and all that was left was love. Love for this man and the desire to show him exactly how much. She opened her mouth and let her lips encircle the head of his erection. She pushed as much of it as she could into her mouth, letting her teeth lightly graze against the sensitive skin.

Gaara grunted a little and one of his hands grabbed the ribbon holding her hair up in its bun. Her hair cascaded down her back like a waterfall of raven silk. She started sucking on his erection and he gasped. He wasn't prepared for it even though he knew it was coming. He watched as she slid her mouth up and down as much of his member as she could fit in her mouth, sucking on the way out and brushing her teeth against him on the way back in. Her tongue continued to brush against his member and he couldn't contain the moan that formed low in his chest. She was slowly working him to the edge and he wasn't ready to fall over yet.

Gaara grabbed a clump of her hair and held her head still while he caught his breath. "Enough," he groaned between pants. He wasn't going to let her work him up and over without doing a damn thing for her. He watched as she released him and he in turn released her hair. She opened her mouth to say something but he didn't give her time before he was scooping her up bridal style and carrying her to their bed. "My turn," he said with a hint of mischief in his stoic voice.

Ren's eyes widened as she watched him from on her back. She was propped up with her elbows simply so she could breathe without feeling like she wasn't getting enough air. Their son was already grown enough to push her organs against each other more than they normally were and that made breathing while being on her back more difficult. He crawled onto the bed beside her and gripped one of her voluptuous breasts and kneaded it gently. She opened her mouth and breathed out hard. The touch sent waves of heat through her body to her core. His lips latched onto her other erect nipple and she whimpered with pleasure. He wasn't sucking, he knew better than to do that because she was in the process of producing breast milk, bit instead he rolled it between his teeth.

Ren's head dropped back and she arched her body up into his. He released both her breasts and kissed down her body. When he got down to her stomach he whispered, "Don't ruin the mood for mommy this time." He was referring to the last time they had been trying to make love. The boy was moving around so much that Ren couldn't focus and when Gaara accidently placed his hand on her belly and felt the baby kicking he lost the moment too. He didn't want that again. Ren stiffened and he looked up into her eyes. "I don't want to have to stop again, not until you feel your best," he told her passively.

"S-same here," Ren whispered. Gaara kissed her belly a few times then worked his way down to her thighs. He forced them apart though Ren didn't resist and settled himself between her legs. Her face was red and she stiffened again as he kissed the inside of her right thigh. He kissed up it and then stopped when he reached a mound of dark hair. He smirked and turned to repeat the process on her left thigh. She was moaning by the time he finally used his fingers to open the folds of her core. He stared at the soft pink flesh and inhaled deeply despite how perverted that made him feel. He reached out with his tongue and darted it against her entrance hole.

Ren's fingers gripped the sheets beside her and she had to bite her lip. The flicking motion against that sensitive tissue was sending wave upon wave of pleasure through her body. He pressed his tongue flat against her and dragged his tongue up to the hard ball of nerves at the top. He bit down on it gently then flicked his tongue against it. Her legs jolted as they twitched with pleasure. "Ooohhhh Gaaraaaaa," Ren moaned out. He loved when she moaned his name. He stopped the rapid movements with his tongue before sucking on it. She moaned out again and whimpered softly, "Kuso. Don't tease me anymore."

He smirked when he parted from her lower lips and sat up. She was so beautiful and he knew she would be wet enough to let him fill her. The current problem was the position. Ren had been getting winded when she was on her back. He crawled up beside her and she rolled onto her side so that her back was pressed against his chest. They were so in sync it nearly frightened him. He hooked his forearm around her thigh at the same time she raised it. He kissed her neck as he pushed himself inside her, penetrating her tight, moist core.

It was his turn to bite. He bit her shoulder lightly and groaned as she moaned. She was clamping his member so tight he nearly spilled himself right then and there. It took everything in him to remind himself he needed to go slow and be gentle. His thrusts were too slow and too gentle for Ren after only a few of them. She turned her head to look at him and rocked her body against his. Their lips were only an inch apart but they didn't meet. They were both too busy panting with pleasure. It felt amazing when Gaara thrust into her rougher. Their breaths mixed and mingled in the air. Finally Gaara leaned down and kissed her deeply. She could taste herself on his tongue but didn't care as much as she thought she would. There was some pleasure in knowing that she was the last thing Gaara had 'ate'.

While his tongue dominated her mouth his hand left her thigh to rub her clit. She moaned into his mouth and twitched as he circled the hardened bud with his calloused fingertip. Her walls clinched around him and she couldn't hold back. Her orgasm took over and her body trembled uncontrollably. The sudden clinching was more than he could take. It was like her walls were trying to keep him in or push him out, he couldn't decide which. He was pushed over the edge and spilled his seed into her. The warmth of it shot heat throughout Ren's body. They both relaxed, staying in the same position and laid there. Gaara wrapped his arms around his wife and they remained in that position for a while. Gaara could definitely get used to his wife surprising him like that. It really was fun. He buried his face into her hair and inhaled her scent. Lavender and apple blossoms. He loved it.

XXXXXXXX

Ren walked through the streets of Suna with a bento box wrapped in a white cloth in tow. Her mother had left two months ago and she was still having a hard time adjusting. Life felt a lot more lonesome without her mom.

_"__I'll see you soon," Naoma told Ren with a sad smile. Ren was already crying in her arms. "Baby, the wedding is in six months and you'll see me then. It won't feel like very long at all, you'll see." _

_Ren took a deep breath to try to remember Naoma's scent. Jasmine and green tea, the same as always. She lifted her head from her mother's shoulder and whispered, "I'll miss you so much. Please take care of yourself. Write to me often. It's going to be empty without you here."_

_Naoma smiled and rubbed Ren's seven month baby bump. "You'll soon have your little boy to fill the gap. I can't wait to meet him. You'll bring him with you to the wedding and I'll meet him then. It'll be okay, Ren," Naoma said gently._

Watching her mother leave with Hyuga Hiashi, Rock Lee, and Harano Sakura had been more difficult than she ever imagined. Her mother had left right after her 21st birthday and that didn't make it any easier. There were so many fears that Ren was facing the closer to her due date things got. She had three weeks until it and she didn't have a clue what to do. Her hospital bag was already packed, the crib set up, clothes and essentials bought, the only thing to do was wait on the baby boy and hope she knew what she was doing. She wished she had her mother with her. Life would be much less stressful if she did.

Naoma's leaving had sent Ren into a depression that she was still slightly feeling. Gaara had helped more than he knew but she still felt like she had a dark cloud hanging over her head, blocking some of the light. She had started making it a point to take lunch to all three of the sand siblings just to fill the gap. She hated being alone and Gaara wouldn't let her work in the office with her due date rapidly approaching. Kankuro and Gaara were easy to reach, both were in the Kazekage's office. Temari was a little bit more work today. She was on patrol duty.

Ren waddled through the streets nodding and saying, "Ohayo," to everyone she passed. She wore a smile on her face and could hear some of the things said as she passed by. Some told each other that she looked like she was going to pop, some mentioned that she looked very pretty and that Gaara was a lucky man, and others made comments about how good it was to see her up and around.

It took Ren about 30 minutes to reach the oasis she always met Temari in. It was a small pool of cool water with bushes and a lone palm tree around it. The water was as clear as glass and deep enough to stay cool to the touch. This was Temari and Shikamaru's special place and Ren had cried when Temari first brought her here. It became her secret to keep for her best friend and she did so willingly.

"Hey Tem," Ren called out to the blond wind mistress.

Temari was already in gear and stretching her arms above her head. She twisted around to face Ren with a big smile on her face. "Ren! How ya doing, Short Stuff? And how's the baby? You aren't over doing it are you," Temari bombarded Ren.

"We're both fine. Lee-sensei says it's best to get some exercise while carrying, so I walk. I have to stay limber somehow. I brought your lunch," Ren said as she handed the cloth wrapped box to Temari.

"Thanks. You really spoil me you know that," Temari asked with a lopsided smirk.

"That's what I'm here for. It gives me something to do and I'm more than happy to do it. Be safe on your patrols okay?"

"I'm always safe, don't worry about it. You be safe on the way back. It's a hell of a walk for you to be making. I'll stick around tomorrow so I can just grab my box on the way out so you don't have to head out here. It's a really long walk for someone with a belly that big," Temari teased.

Ren huffed and stuck her nose in the air while trying to fight a smile. "I know that I have a big belly but it's better than having a big butt." Ren stuck her tongue out.

"You do have a big butt," Temari chuckled.

Ren twisted to look at her bottom. "It's not small but it's a nice one," Ren pouted.

Temari was practically doubled over laughing. Ren's eyebrows had furrowed and she stuck her bottom lip out. It was just too much for Temari. "You look great. Some women look awful pregnant. You aren't one of them."

"Thank you," Ren said with a grin, her pouting forgotten, "I'll let you get going. I'll see you tonight."

"See you," Temari replied.

The two of them headed separate ways. Ren had walked for about 10 minutes when she felt a sharp achy pain at her belly button. She stopped walking and the pain stopped too. "Oh great," Ren muttered. She had been having false labor symptoms for the past three days and now it was starting again. She took a deep breath and walked even slower to avoid the pains.

Ren was just over half way to Sunagakure's gates when she felt someone watching her. She considered looking around but just kept walking instead. She pushed chakra to her eyes, making the veins swell with it as she used her byakugan. She could see a figure behind her, apparently male judging by the shoulders. She frowned and tried to walk faster but the false labor pains began again. She deactivated her kekkei genkai and tried to calm her racing heart. It could be any ninja from Suna heading back, maybe she would have some company. That sounded nice and that was enough to comfort her heart to return to a more normal pace.

Ren froze when the man appeared in front of her. She wasn't sure how much time she had spent trying to calm herself but there he was. He was dressed in all black and nothing was visible. His hair was covered by a hood and his face by a lizard ANBU mask. The mask had two green stripes down the center and brown eyes were the only visible feature. "Hello _Hyogo _Ren," the male said with a muffled voice. She couldn't recognize it.

"Who are you," She asked as she grabbed her white fan from her hip. The mask indicated that he should be from Suna but the vibe she was getting off of him was not friendly.

"Easy," He said as he held his hands up, "I'm from Suna the same as you are."

He took a step closer while keeping his hands in the air. Ren wasn't sure what to do. A Sand ANBU should've just kept going or offered assistance by now. What was he up to? "What do you want with me," She asked without putting away her fan. She needed to be ready to attack.

He was only a few feet from her when he stopped. "It's complicated you see," he told her, "Sorry for this, it's for the greater good." In a swift moment he pulled out a senbon and threw it. Ren didn't even have her fan open when it hit her neck. She weakly slashed her white fan across her body, sending a blade of wind towards the masked man. He was able to dodge it with ease.

Her head felt strange and she knew the needle was poisoned. She pulled it from her skin and threw it on the ground. Everything started to go black and she fell back onto the hot sand. Her fan slipped from her hand and she blinked. "-ab her and let's g-" a female voice said from Ren's left.

"I -an't carry he-, you'll ha-," a new male voice said from her right.

"Fin-... guys... tim-" the masked man said. His voice was fading in and out. Ren had to stay awake. She couldn't let them hurt her, hurt her baby. She had to get up. She couldn't. Everything went black.

XXXXXXXX

**Ren Note 2: **Do you ever start writing about a character... then can't stand to read other fan fictions with that character in it? Like... You know the stories would be good... but it's not the same pairing and that's a turn off? I'm suffering from that with Gaara! He's not with Ren and I don't feel like reading about him with Sakura -.- Ew. xD I'm terrible! Who do we think has poisoned Ren? and what do they want? Any of you have any ideas? I can't wait to write the next chapter to show you all but with the length of these chapters that takes time. I'd appreciate any reviews! I love you guys.


	11. Ch 10: An Angel In Ninja Garb

**Ren Note:** Hey guys! This one is early or late depending on how you look at it. Consider this my valentine to all of you! I want to thank **Sweet Petit** for giving the suggestion to share what Gaara used to dream about involving Ren. I felt like that would be perfect for this chapter and it was spectacular timing! I didn't add as many flashbacks and dream memories as I could have but I felt like these were enough, for now. It gives you a slight insight into what he dreamed of and I'm sure I'll be including more later. This chapter is a somewhat heavy one. I'd like to say this now, as a heads up, the way I wrote the end of this chapter could be interpreted as I'm ending this fic. I'm not. You'll understand when you read it. I want to say thank you to everyone who reads, reviews, and PMs me. I really appreciate all of your support. Those of you who add me to your watch and favorites make me feel so loved too! I really appreciate it and cannot thank you all enough. I know, I know, too much talking Ren! One more thing before you jump in though. All Or Nothing will be updated every other Tuesday instead of every Tuesday. Real life (how i hate it) is making it difficult to put out chapters of good? quality quickly. I don't want to give you all something I'm not happy with so it takes time. Now then... I'll shut up. Enjoy!

Chapter Ten:

"She's so heavy," Whined the man in the lizard mask. He had Ren draped over his shoulder and had lowered the hood of his jacket to reveal his short black hair. It was too hot to wear that thing. He had wanted to take the mask off too but his boss had told him not to. He could feel the unborn baby within her moving around. It crept him out but he couldn't say that to his boss. She would have his head and he couldn't risk upsetting her. She was always telling him how useless he is so he wanted to prove her wrong. He needed to prove her wrong.

"Shut up, Iwao," The female with medium length, curly brown hair and hazel eyes snapped.

"I'd offer to take her but I'd drop her," muttered the other male. He had spiky brown hair with gray eyes. He was also missing an arm.

"Its fine, Yuu," Iwao said from behind his mask. His brown eyes traveled from his male friend, Yuu, to the female.

"We just need to get to the hideout then we can finish her off," The woman stated.

"Miki are you sure this was a good idea," Iwao asked with a muffled voice. His conscious was ebbing away at him with every step.

"She almost killed us all. She tore off poor Yuu's arm! She destroyed my body and face! How can you ask if ridding the world of a monster is a good idea or not," Miki spat.

"That was years ago and the baby's done nothing to us," Yuu countered. Iwao was his best friend and he felt the same way, so he had to say something. He could still remember the day that Ren had apologized to him. He was such a coward that he hadn't taken her seriously back then. He'd never forget the look of regret that donned her features. She hadn't extended the same courtesy to Miki though and that was enough to make him still hate her.

"It's done nothing to us _yet_," Miki remarked, her hate for Ren very clear in her high-pitched voice.

The two men shared a look. They'd do whatever Miki wanted even if it meant betraying their Kazekage. Iwao and Yuu both loved her, for whatever reason. Nothing the Kazekage could offer would compare to pleasing her.

A man dressed in dark blue shinobi attire appeared ahead of the group. He was walking through the sand staring at a map. "Miki what should we do," Yuu asked. If they could see the man they knew he could see them too. He was still a ways off and so they may have been able to hide out somewhere.

Miki frowned and looked at their surroundings. They were out in the open. No cacti, rocks, or sand pits in sight. "We just ignore him," Miki stated. The two men nodded. What else could they do? Iwao stiffened when he heard Ren groan in pain. "Ignore her too, the poison won't wear off for another two hours."

Iwao nodded and tried his best to comply. He was kicked in the chest by the little baby growing within Ren and paled. There was something gross about knowing a human was living within another human. Each kick was an indication that the baby was alive. It was alive and Miki's poison hadn't affected it much.

As they continued walking towards the man Iwao and Yuu became more and more nervous. Anything could go wrong. Yuu glanced over at Miki who seemed calm but who could tell with how scarred her face was. The man stopped when the four of them were four yards away and put his map into his pocket. He had long silver hair that he wore in a ponytail, black eyes, and round spectacles. He carried a messenger style blue bag that rested behind him and a black weapons pouch against his right hip. Ren groaned again which caused all three to stop walking. "Would you believe that she just can't hold her alcohol," Miki asked with a laugh.

"She's clearly pregnant," The man said loud enough to be heard, "I doubt a woman as healthy as she seems to be would drink alcohol during pregnancy." Iwao and Yuu shared a look. Iwao placed Ren down roughly on the hot, sun soaked sand. When her back hit the ground her white eyes fluttered open a few times. The silver haired man's eyes widened. "What's her name," He questioned hastily.

Miki leaned over Ren to watch her return to her unconscious state. The sudden heat and movement had been enough to draw her into consciousness for a brief moment. "Tch," Miki scowled, "Why's it matter to you. She's trash."

"I'm looking for this girl," The man said as he pulled a picture out of his pocket. The girl was young, maybe 15 years old, with long black hair and white eyes. She wore a rusty brown long sleeve dress and tan pants beneath it. She was smiling with her thin lips bowed up. Her button nose was crinkled slightly.

All three looked at Ren. "You can't have her," Yuu grunted, "She's a monster and needs to be slain." Yuu didn't even realize that he had just confirmed the man's suspicions.

"So this is Hyogo Ren," The male mused as he stared at her unconscious body. "I'll be taking her with me now," He said with his brows furrowed and a determined look on his handsome face.

"I don't think so. You see, _Sabaku_ Ren is a problem for us that needs to be dealt with," Miki scoffed. She placed her hands on her hips and her top lip was raised into a sneer. This guy was interfering with her plans and she wouldn't stand for it. They had planned too well and worked too hard for one person to ruin it.

"Sabaku," The shinobi repeated, his voice reflecting his slight confusion, "She married Kankuro?"

"No. She married Gaara, the Fifth Kazekage," Iwao remarked. He didn't understand why this man thought she married Kankuro. To Iwao's knowledge they hadn't been friends for years.

"Monsters tend to marry monsters," Yuu grunted.

"You can't have her," Miki scoffed.

All three conscious Sunans got into an offensive stance. "You want to murder your Kazekage's wife? You're willing to fight me just to kill her? How unfortunate for you. You stand no chance against Yakushi Kabuto," Kabuto growled as he pulled out three senbon. It wouldn't take much to be rid of these three. From what he could tell they weren't even proper ninja, especially the one with only one arm.

He flung the senbon towards the three of them, careful to avoid Ren. The three jumped back and he charged forward while pulling out two kunai. The masked man, Iwao, pulled out a katana and blocked Kabuto's strike towards Miki. It didn't matter; he was mostly trying to put distance between them and their target. Kabuto pushed against Iwao's sword and sent him skidding backwards while Yuu, the one armed man, attempted to use his muscular body to ram into Kabuto's side. Kabuto sidestepped causing Yuu to stumble and fall face first into the sand.

These three weren't even worth it. Well, two of them weren't. The female was idly sitting by so he couldn't judge her yet. Kabuto ran up on the girl but was intercepted by Iwao. The man sliced his sword towards right Kabuto's arm at the same time that Kabuto veered left and thrust his kunai towards the man's face. The kunai hit the mask and shattered it but no damage came to him. Kabuto back flipped away and turned to his right where Yuu was getting up ready to throw a shuriken. Kabuto blocked the shuriken with his kunai but was hit by Iwao's fist. He felt his lip bust open and winced slightly at the pain while blood trickled down his chin. He flew back a few feet, twisting his body to land upright. He glared at the three of them. They looked so smug, as if they would win.

Kabuto could use any number of jutsu he'd acquired to defeat these three. He could beat them with his mind alone. He could use his medical ninjutsu and slice them with charka scalpels but he was trying to stick to taijutsu. It didn't feel right to him to kill people who didn't have a chance to defend themselves against his jutsus. Their lives would be more blood staining his soul but he could live with that. Things would be far worse if he allowed them to keep Ren in their custody. She and the baby within her would die. He would not let an innocent die. These people made their beds and he was going to make them lay in them but that didn't mean he had to murder them. He would give them a chance to give it their all.

Kabuto threw a barrage of senbon at the trio, hitting the one armed man in the right eye and killing him instantly. He dropped to his knees and then face planted, driving the senbon further into his brain. Very little blood appeared in the sand, his heart had stopped beating almost right away. The female roared and charged at him with nothing but her fists. She punched and he dodged. While he was busy dodging the assault of fists he heard the other male coming up behind him. Kabuto grappled the woman and flung her through the air to get her out of his way. The swordsman seemed to be the most capable of the three and he clearly wanted to protect the female.

Kabuto blocked the sword once again with his kunai in an X formation. He squeezed them together and twisted, fighting the man to release the sword. Kabuto finally managed to break the man's hold and the sword flew through the air and stuck deep within the sand. He couldn't give Iwao an opportunity to retrieve the sword. In one swift movement he forced the kunai in his right hand into the man's throat then brought the other one down into his forehead. His body went limp and Kabuto released his kunai. There was no point in trying to pull them out of a corpse right now.

He twisted his body around to see the female, Miki, next to Ren. She had a syringe in her hand and he watched as she stabbed the needle into Ren's arm. He pulled a shuriken quickly and threw it at the woman but she managed to push down on the syringe and send some of the dark purple liquid into Ren's body. The shuriken imbedded itself into Miki's shoulder and she fell back screaming in pain. Kabuto focused his chakra to make a sharp surgical blade and rushed over. He straddled Miki's waist, pinning her arms with his knees, and held the blade to her throat. "What did you do to her," He shouted.

Miki gave a wry little smile. "She's going to die. I don't care that you'll send me to oblivion. I've taken her with me and she'll never hurt anyone ever again. That poison is special, used by the puppet master Sasori of the Red Sand. You see, there are perks to growing up in Sunagakure. I had access to every medical document ever made. Poisons, antidotes, everything all in our clutches," Miki said slyly.

Kabuto growled and pressed the scalpel against her throat harder. "What's in it," He demanded.

Her sadistic grin grew. "You'll have to ask Kankuro about it. I gave her a more potent dose than what was used on him. He only had three days, how many does she have I wonder," Miki asked with a sinister laugh. In truth the dose was exactly the same but this man didn't need to know that. His pained expression was fulfilling to her. Miki just had to pray he didn't get Ren back to Sunagakure in time.

Kabuto snarled and sliced her throat simply to put an end to her laugh. She convulsed beneath him and it didn't take long for her to bleed out, a look of horror on her scarred face.

Kabuto got off of Miki and crawled over to Ren. He pulled the needle from her arm and injected a sample of it into one of the many small, empty vials he carried on him. He'd have to run tests on it to be sure but he was certain of one thing, he had to pull as much of that poison out as he could and keep it from spreading too rapidly. He needed more time! He reached into his bag and popped a food pill into his mouth, he would need the energy for the trip ahead of them. He pulled another bottle out of the bag and inspected it. He put the pill into Ren's mouth. "This should slow it down long enough for me to get you somewhere safe," He told the unconscious woman. He lifted her head and pressed his canteen to her lips, putting just enough water in her mouth to allow the pill to go down her throat. "Swallow," he told her. He was pleased when she did, it meant she was alert enough to follow simple commands. He examined her eyes, her tongue, listened to her heart and then focused on the baby. They were both fine for the moment other than the excruciating pain Ren was in. He put a chakra barrier around the infant. He would not be poisoned with his mother but it also meant the baby boy was not getting as much of the nutrients he would need. He needed to remove the poison and get rid of the barrier quickly.

Kabuto quickly went through the hand signs: Boar, Dog, Bird, Monkey, Ram and nicked his finger between his teeth. He slammed his hand to the ground and completed his summoning jutsu. Beneath Kabuto and Ren rose a giant snake. It was gray and only large enough to carry the two of them. He left the syringe on the desert floor and cradled Ren in his arms bridal style. Her pained expression was unsettling. If he calculated correctly he should have 4 days, with the medication, to get her to his home and cured. That would be a task in itself. He just hoped he effectively calculated how much he would be able to slow the poison. He could tell that the poison attacked her muscular system, which meant her heart was in danger of collapsing. He really needed to move quickly and so he told his summon that.

XXXXXXXX

Temari barged into Gaara's office panting just after the sun had set. "Is Ren-chan here," She asked frantically. She had ran the whole way there and trying to catch her breath.

Gaara had been sitting behind his desk filling out paperwork. His pen halted the second he heard Temari's tone. "No, she should be home," he told her flatly. He was trying not to allow his mind to go to the worst possible scenario without even knowing what was going on.

"She's not at home," Temari yelled. "I found this on my way home," She stated as she held up Ren's white fan. Gaara's eyes went slightly wide. "I thought maybe she had accidently dropped it because it looks like the strap came untied. I figured she'd be here with you since she wasn't at home. Mara says that she didn't come home after bringing me my lunch, Gaara."

"Mara would know, being the maid on duty today," Gaara muttered as he rubbed his stubbly cheek. He needed to shave but that didn't matter right now. "We need to find out if she made it back to the village," he said calmly though on the inside he was going insane. His wife was missing, his _pregnant_ wife. He needed to find her.

Temari nodded weakly and helped her brother put his cloak and hat on. If she didn't know Gaara she would've believed he was as calm and indifferent as he seemed to be. She could tell by the look in his eyes and the way his nostrils flared that he wasn't calm, not on the inside. She wasn't calm either. Her best friend/sister-in-law was missing. The two of them went to the gate to look over the entry/exit reports. Temari was having a difficult time keeping herself together.

Ren had not returned to the village. She could feel the internal panic radiating off Gaara; she was panicked too. "Where did you find her fan," Gaara asked.

Temari pulled out her map and showed him the exact location. It wasn't too far from the gates. How had she not made it? He couldn't understand. He took off into the dark desert leaving Temari unsure what she should do. She ran back to the Kazekage's office and sent out messages for all available jonin to report. She had to get a search team together but what else… what else could she do?

Gaara had never ran so fast in his life. In his state of worry he forgot he could use his sand to get there faster. He arrived at the spot that Temari had pointed out on the map. He dropped down onto his hands and knees to search in the sand for something, anything. The wind picked up sand and blew it across the surface. There was nothing there. No sign that anyone had been there. He sat back and stared where his footsteps had been. The sand was removing every shred of evidence that might have been there. He scowled openly, since he was alone, and punched the sand repeatedly. There was nothing to go on!

Temari had briefed the four jonin before her on the situation. Kankuro was in a rage of his own, Matsuri seemed blank, Baki seemed a little agitated, and Isago (the jonin that would have been Ren's sensei if The Fourth had lived) was stoic. Temari was having a hard time being professional. This was her imouto that was missing and that was enough to drive a girl into a mess of emotions. "Kankuro, send word to Konoha that we need trackers. Be as vague as we can about who is missing for now. I don't want any of her friends involved that can't actually help. Also make sure there's a medic on the squad. We want to keep this hidden from her mother for as long as possible. With the way the sand is blowing I'm afraid a sand storm is brewing and that is going to make all of this a lot harder. On my way home I could not find any tracks. We need an Inuzuka's nose, possibly the Aburame's kikaichu as well. Explain the situation to the elders but ask that they keep it under wraps. You three," She motioned to Baki, Matsuri, and Isago, "Come with me. We have to assist the Kazekage."

XXXXXXXX

"It's about damn time," Kankuro shouted as Ino, Naruto, Kiba, Akamaru, and Shino walked into Gaara's office. "I know the trip is long but you're a day late!"

"There was a sand storm, asshole," Kiba snapped back. Akamaru barked lowly in agreement.

"Dog breath," Kankuro stated with a glare.

"At least I don't play with dolls," Kiba retaliated. Akamaru once again barked in agreement.

"Enough," Ino screamed to interrupt the escalated banter between the puppeteer and dog-nin. All four men in the room covered their ears while Akamaru whined and hid his head under his paws. She cleared her throat. "I just want to find my friend so if we could do this fight later that'd be great."

"Yeah, we're here to find Ren-chan, not argue," Naruto nodded in agreement with Ino.

"Where is Gaara," Shino asked stoically.

Kankuro let out an exasperated sigh. "He's been out looking for her for days. He's even gone so far as to search around the border to the Land of Rivers. Temari, Matsuri, Baki, and Isago are with him. They haven't found a damn thing yet. There's been no threats made or ransoms demanded. The city is in an uproar. Apparently there are three civilians missing as well. They have history with Ren and I know we need to hurry up. Miki, the ringleader of the trio, was in a juvenile detention center for attempting to murder Ren when we were kids. It's not a good situation and we need to find her soon."

"What happened," Ino gasped out.

"Back when Ren and I were best friends I gave her a puppet, the first puppet I'd ever made. It was made to look like Sasori; ironic isn't it? Anyway, Ren was bullied at school and Miki stole my puppet on the way home. From what Ren, Miki, Yuu, Iwao, and Gaara have said Ren attempted to get it back. The boys, Yuu and Iwao, fought her. She used Gentle Fist, which I kind of helped her learn, on Iwao. Then with her insane speed that she's taken to calling 'Soru' she charged at Miki. Yuu had been holding on to her and when Ren tried to grab the puppet, which Miki broke, she ended up shoving Miki back into a wall of rock. Miki's body was pretty damaged, Yuu lost an arm, and Iwao was so ashamed he gave up trying to be a ninja. Long story short they blamed Ren for ruining their lives and, in Miki's case, her face. I have a bad feeling about this," Kankuro informed them.

"Damn, you weren't kidding when you said she was vicious in battle," Naruto exclaimed while staring at Ino.

She nodded. She was the only one present from Konohagakure who had seen Ren in action. It felt strange to her that someone would be able to take Ren without a fight. "Were there signs of a fight," She asked looking at Kankuro.

"Not that Temari could tell. The sand was blowing all over the place so there were no physical tracks to even begin to follow."

"I feel like we've wasted enough time here," Naruto grunted.

"If we wait too long Akamaru and I won't be able to find her," Kiba said with a nod.

"My kikaichu will also have difficulties if the trail is too cold," Shino agreed.

"Here's the spot you'll be meeting with Gaara," Kankuro said as he handed Shino a map. Of the four he was the most level headed, even if Kankuro still didn't like him. He'd give anything to fight him again. Right now wasn't the time to be thinking about that though. His friend was in danger, his brother could lose control of himself even without Shukaku, and Temari was a nervous wreck. This needed to end quickly and with the best possible outcome or Gaara would completely lose it.

"We'll head there right now," Ino told them. She offered a weak smile then the four Konohans sprinted out of the room.

Kankuro rubbed his face, not caring that he'd just smeared his purple bunraku facial paint. "Please, Kami, let her make it home safe."

XXXXXXXX

Ren dreamed of an angel in ninja garb. He saved her from the demons and carried her to safety. _"Stay with me," she heard him say, "Hang on, I'll protect you." _She could remember him repeating that over and over. His voice was what she held onto when she couldn't see and felt like giving into the pain. She had felt so much pain. He took it away, little by little, and left her feeling nothing but warmth and peace.

Ren opened her eyes and turned onto her back. She squinted within the darkness of the room. _"Where am I,"_ she asked herself. She tried to sit up but her body would not move that much. She groaned in pain. It hadn't been a dream. She needed to get off her back though, she couldn't breathe. She turned onto her other side despite the amount of pain she felt in doing so. The baby boy put too much pressure on her insides to be on her back. Ren blinked back tears as the soreness in her body surged everywhere. She took a deep shaky breath to get through it but she began to cough. She heard a lock turn over and turned her head in that direction. She regretted it when a bright light nearly blinded her. _"How long have I been out? Where am I? Will a demon or angel walk through that door,"_ She pondered as she tried to open her eyes. The light was just too bright.

"You're awake," the voice of her angel echoed through the room. She remembered it. She had heard it when he fought the demons and when he whispered to her. It was a masculine voice but not as deep as some of the men she had talked to. Everything about him seemed so angelic to her, at least in the fog that clouded her mind.

"Y-yeah," Ren said with her voice cracking. She coughed again. Her throat was so dry that it felt like she was on fire!

She heard him approach where she lay. Was it a bed? It was soft like a bed. Maybe it was a cloud and she had died. No. Death wouldn't be so painful. She listened as he placed something down then clicked on a lamp beside her. She slowly opened her eyes a little at a time to try to adjust to the light. The room, when her eyes finally adjusted, was simple enough. It had no windows, the walls seemed to be a pale green, the floor was a dark oak, and the bedding was a deep blue. It was a decent sized room; big enough for a queen sized bed, a nightstand, a dresser, a desk, and three bookcases.

He helped her sit up; his hands were strong but gentle. He handed her a tall glass of water and she took a big gulp, holding it in the back of her mouth to soak her aching throat. "Drink it slowly," He warned when she went to take another gulp. She took the drink anyway but didn't dare take another. Her stomach was already upset.

"Is my baby okay," she asked the first thing she could think about. She lazily rubbed her swollen baby bump. She couldn't feel him move and that scared her so much.

Kabuto stared down at her. He swallowed hard. "Your son is doing just fine. Three people tried to kidnap and kill you. I saved you but the female poisoned you before I could stop her. It took everything I had to save you both but you should both make a full recovery."

"Th-thank you," Ren said. She had small tears forming in her eyes and she sniffled. At least she wasn't dehydrated, since she could cry. "I-I don't know your name," she admitted weakly without looking at him.

He smirked slightly and sat on the bed next to her. "It's Kabuto," he stated. The name sounded vaguely familiar but she knew she had never seen him before. His silver hair was oddly radiant despite its dull tone, and his face so handsome. If she weren't a married woman, she would've developed a crush on him right away but she was married and no other man could compare to her Gaara. "I know you probably don't feel like it right now," He said gently, "but I brought you some food and a prenatal vitamin."

"H-how do I know you aren't going to poison me," She asked suddenly, her gaze slowly lifting to meet his.

His smirk faded and he appeared hurt by the accusation. "Why would I have gone through all this trouble to save you only to kill you?"

Ren closed her eyes and sighed. He had a point. "A-alright. A-ano… where are we?"

"My home, in Takigakure."

"T-takigakure?! H-how long was I out of it," She gasped out.

"Four days. The perk of signing contracts with various creatures is that they aid you. I was able to get you here in two days' time thanks to them."

Ren let the information process. He handed her a vitamin that looked almost exactly like the ones she had been taking for the past six and a half months. She was reluctant to put it into her mouth and swallow it but it wouldn't make sense for him to kill her after saving her. She took it, taking three mouthfuls of water to get it down her throat. "When can I go home," She asked softly. She wanted her husband. What was Gaara doing? How long had it taken him to notice she was gone? Would he be out searching for her? Would he find her?

"I'm not sure," Kabuto admitted, "My plan was to go to Suna to talk to your Kazekage about you. It was just good, and bad, fortune that I ran into you outside the village."

Ren looked down, feeling quite confused. He was looking for her? Why? Her thoughts halted when she noticed two silver bangles on her wrists. They had strange carvings on them that almost reminded Ren of the markings of certain seals. She felt a little panicked. "Wh-what are these," She asked as she tried to pull off the one on her right wrist.

"Careful," he said as he placed his hand on hers to make her stop, "you'll hurt yourself. Those are to keep you close to me and I'm the only one who can remove them. I swear to protect you and in order to do that I cannot let you stray too far."

Ren blinked in horror. Her angel was insane! He was keeping her close to him under the pretense of protection. What would she possibly need protected from that he husband couldn't protect her from himself? "Protect me from what exactly," She whispered as if out of breath.

"Enjoy your meal and get some rest," He said as he stood. He flashed her a smile then walked out of the room. She heard him lock the door behind him.

Ren started to cry. She felt like a bird trapped in a cage. Who was this Kabuto and what did he really want with her? Why would anyone go through this much trouble to protect a stranger? How was this even to be considered protecting? Ren stared at the food and considered ignoring it but she felt a swift kick to her insides, a small smile formed on her face. She knew that she wasn't the only one who would need to eat. With a defeated sigh she carefully pulled the tray closer.

XXXXXXXX

"Over here," Kiba shouted to the search party behind him. He had been the first to smell the stench of decaying corpses. He and Akamaru had been trailing Ren's scent, which was difficult because it was like she had been carried. If the Inuzuka had been 5 years younger he never would've been able to sniff it out.

The sight before him was gruesome. One corpse as face down in the sand, missing an arm and Kiba couldn't see what had killed him. He had the feeling they would know once he was turned over. Another was impaled in his throat and through his forehead. The female of the group looked the worst. She had a shuriken in her shoulder and her throat was sliced wide open. The most disturbing part was her face. Kiba knew from talking to Kankuro that she wasn't much to look at but the terrified look on her face was sickening.

Gaara was hard to read as he took in the scene. Temari's face was twisted up in disgust, Ino was pale and looked like she would be sick but she was fighting it, Naruto wasn't looking so good either, and Matsuri couldn't even look at the area. Baki and Isago were as stoic as ever. "What happened here," Temari's voice cut through the silence that had fallen amongst the group.

"From what I can tell," Kiba stated, "These are the three missing civilians. It looks like they pissed off the wrong person. Could be murder or they could've done battle. Either way they were here. Ren's scent is here as well. It's hard to find over the smell of decay but I smell it. There's two other scents here too. One is kind of familiar but I can't place it." Akamaru whined from beside his master. "I know boy," Kiba murmured to his companion.

"What's wrong with Akamaru," Matsuri asked quietly but loud enough to be heard.

"He is fearful of the power the new scents hold," Shino answered for Kiba, "My kakaichu are also weary of this power. I believe one of these scents to be the person who did this." Shino nodded towards the gory scene.

"We need to figure out what happened here," Ino said reluctantly.

Everyone could agree on that. Kiba had been the one made to turn the one armed man over. Ino and Matsuri flinched when his cause of death became quite apparent.

"Doesn't really seem like much of a fight happened," Naruto muttered.

"The way the bodies are spread out may indicate otherwise," Shino observed.

"It's like maybe they were battling with this powerful person and got in over their heads," Temari commented.

"What about the girl, Miki, she looks like she was murdered. The others faces aren't so grim looking but hers is frightening," Ino mentioned.

"Matsuri," Gaara called to his brunette student. He had been silent up until then and so everyone turned to look at him. "I would like for you to send word to Kankuro. Have him send a team to this location to investigate. Wait here for them and be on your guard. We cannot spend any more time here," Gaara's voice wasn't as flat as it usually was. His days of searching for Ren were getting to him. He was irritable and irate. Nothing would console him except finding his wife.

Matsuri nodded and told him, "Okay. I'll get right on it, Gaara-sensei." She began forming the hand signs to summon a bird to send a message to Kankuro.

Shino pointed out a trench through the sand. "The scent stays with this trail," Kiba announced. The party took off running in the path, leaving Matsuri behind to take care of things.

"What do you think made this track," Ino asked quietly.

"It's hard to say," Gaara stated flatly.

"Could be a snake," Baki muttered. Everyone's blood ran cold suddenly but no one's worse than Gaara's.

Silence accompanied the search party. Naruto was running beside Gaara and couldn't take it anymore. Gaara looked so lost in thought that he could've sworn that Gaara would run into a cactus if they happened to come across one. That thought would have made the jinchuriki laugh, had the situation not been so serious. "What're you thinking about," Naruto asked Gaara.

Gaara glanced at his first friend passively. He could answer honestly but that mean revealing a very private thing. He was thinking about one of the dreams he had as a teenager, not that he was completely out of that stage yet. Gaara, in this particular dream, was relaxing in a hot spring. He dreamt that Ren was there as well. They were laughing and talking about all kinds of things, not caring that they were both naked. His dream version of Ren was nothing compared to the real thing. In his dreams, at that time, she had been overly thin with narrow hips, fairly small breasts, and she was taller. His dream-self had had no trouble getting Ren to make love to him. It was the start to a fantasy he had, sex in a hot spring. He hoped someday he would get to fulfil that fantasy with his wife. He couldn't bear the idea of her not being with him. Gaara settled on a tamer topic. "When Ren was reminded that you are the vessel for the nine-tails, do you recall what you asked her?"

Naruto scratched the back of his head. He couldn't really remember that. It hadn't mattered much at the time so he couldn't remember everything that was said at that dinner. "Not exactly," Naruto admitted.

"You asked her 'Are you afraid of me or something?' It was amusing because I often asked her 'Do you fear me?' She would always respond with 'I just don't know you yet.' Then I would tell her 'You can ask me anything.' That was our way of getting to know each other. It was rare for her to ask about serious things. Usually she'd ask things like 'What's your favorite color' and 'what foods do you like'. I was content to answer those questions because they weren't what I had expected. She could have asked me many things about Shukaku, my childhood, everything. She did not do so very often."

Naruto nodded like he understood. He didn't know why his friend was thinking about that stuff. Then again, Naruto would probably reminisce if he were in Gaara's position. "Did you ever dream about her," Naruto asked.

"Sometimes, though when I had Shukaku within me those dreams were typically nightmares. I rarely slept then, for fear he would eat away at my mind. After his extraction, my death, and then my revival I started dreaming about her more. I thought about her before the last of my life left my body. I was thinking 'Who am I?' and 'Why do I want someone to need me?' I didn't want to be a small, meaningless existence. I tried so hard to figure out why. I thought of Ren and questioned if I meant much to her. Upon my revival, I decided I should continue to improve myself and be the best leader possible. I spent many days hoping to end up with her. She was always on my mind, even after I had sent her on a 4 year mission." Gaara would leave out the fact that Shukaku would leave him to his dreams when they were dirty. Upon thinking about it, perhaps the one-tail was a pervert.

"Why did you give her such a long mission? I don't think I've ever really heard of a mission lasting that long, well, other than Uchiha Itachi's," Naruto said sadly, his confusion was becoming more apparent in his voice as well.

"Because I needed to protect her. A woman came to Suna to find a traveling companion. I needed to get Ren out of Suna for fear that Orochimaru was going to come after her. It never truly dawned on me that Orochimaru would expect her to go to him. I had hoped that by sending her away from home he would be unable to locate her."

"I'm gonna just assume he didn't find her," Naruto said.

"Unless he's not dead as Uchiha claimed and came for her now," Gaara muttered. He knew that Naruto would not like the comment, but it needed to be brought out into the open in case it were true.

The search party had gotten permission from the other kages and daimyos to cross borders. They left the Land Of Wind and were approaching Amegakure. The whole idea of being in this area was unsettling. "I can't pick up her scent anymore," Kiba shouted from his position at the lead. Everyone turned to the Aburame who just shook his head. He had lost her trail too. The track they had been following seemed to disappear in the river.

XXXXXXXX

Ren sat in bed watching Kabuto move around the room. He had brought her food, helped her to the bathroom, and given her a prenatal vitamin. He was currently using his medical chakra to check on the baby. Ren grew tense the longer he said nothing. _"Please let him be okay. Kami, I don't know what I would do if I lost him,"_ Ren thought to herself.

"He's doing just fine. His movements are still sluggish, which is why you haven't been feeling him move as much. Well, that and the fact that for him it's pretty cramped in there," Kabuto informed her with a serious look on his face. He was doing his best to handle the situation as professionally as possible.

"I'm feeling cramped in here too. I just want to go home, see my husband, and then have this baby," Ren said with a sigh. She rubbed the back of her stiff neck. She had been lounging in bed too long.

"I'm sorry. I am aware that I've turned your plans for all of this," Kabuto said and they both knew he meant her life, "upside down. It's for your protection though, I promise you that much. Perhaps tomorrow you will feel like getting out of bed for more than a bathroom break?"

Ren couldn't help it, but she blushed. He made her feel like she was being lazy. She wasn't sure if she was or wasn't, she just didn't want to be up and around. Her body was no longer hurting from the effects of the poison Miki had injected into her. She was shocked to learn that Yuu and Iwao were involved in it to. Kabuto had described them perfectly. Yuu hadn't accepted her apology and that was heartbreaking. People still saw her as a monster. They probably still saw Gaara as one too. Her eyes drifted down to her belly, where Kabuto's hand still rested. She should've pushed him away but the baby was moving against Kabuto's hand. She prayed no one would see her child as a monster. Ren raised her eyes to Kabuto's who was staring at her belly with his mouth forming a small 'o'. She smiled faintly. He wasn't used to pregnancies, she assumed. "I think he may like you," Ren whispered.

Kabuto had almost missed her words. He was so focused on the movements below his right hand. He could have sworn he felt 5 little fingers pressed against his palm. Medically, he knew everything there was to know about everything, but he wasn't prepared to deal with this first hand. It was amazing and he looked up at Ren after a few seconds. He knew he didn't need to say anything. He asked her something he had wanted to ask but hadn't planned to. His voice was soft but there was a hint of pain in his voice, "Why did you marry the Kazekage?"

Ren blinked as if to keep her eyes from becoming as round as silver dollars. Where had the question come from and why did he sound so hurt about that fact? To Ren's knowledge she had never met Kabuto. She was sure she would have remembered someone like him. "I married him because I'm in love with him. He's not a monster like everyone thinks. He has a hard time expressing his emotions but he's getting better at it, at least at home. He understands me better than most people and I'd like to think I understand him too. He's probably extremely angry that I'm not home but he'll hide it under his passive mask. He'll do anything to bring me home, I'm sure of it," Ren said with a nod.

"I see," Kabuto said flatly. None of that was an answer he expected. He did his best to hide his disappointment.

"When can I go home," Ren asked for the hundredth time. She knew the answer. It was always the same. She could fight him and try to run off but that wouldn't get rid of the metal around her wrists. It would also place her baby at risk and that was something she could not do.

"I'm sorry but I can't allow you to, not yet anyway. I know that you aren't happy here but your safety is more important to me right now."

"You keep saying you're doing this to keep me safe, but from what," Ren asked quietly.

"I'll tell you some other time. Enjoy your meal and I'll come back in about an hour," Kabuto said as he removed his hand from her baby bump and exited the room.

She heard the click of the lock and sighed. He never would answer her question. She placed her hand where Kabuto's had been but the baby had stilled. She frowned. "You don't like me much do you," She whispered to her belly, "Well I love you and so does your daddy. I hope he finds us soon."

XXXXXXXX

It had taken more time than Gaara had hoped to find Ren's scent. He hated being so close to where his life was taken away only to be revived by a selfless old woman. When the trail led them towards Kusagakure, he was relieved to be done with Amegakure. This brought up new feelings. They were entering the land that Ren had spent four of the last five years in. This had been her home for that time. The trees and mushrooms astonished Gaara. They had been running through the dense forest for quite a while when something in the air changed, causing Kiba to stop and raise his hand for them to do the same. "What is it," Temari asked in a hushed tone.

"There's a group of five men approaching us. Shinobi without villages," Shino responded as his kikaichu returned to him. He stood with his right arm up and let them swarm into his sleeve where they would return to his body. No one wanted to know how they entered and exited his body. There were some secrets that were best left as such.

"They smell dangerous," Kiba muttered, "They aren't our objective and could be here just to slow us down." Akamaru growled lowly with worry.

"They may also have information for us," Gaara said calmly.

"So we take them down," Baki said with a nod.

"Surely we won't need all of us to fight," Isago stated.

"Yeah, medical ninja should stand back. We're great at evading. We aren't supposed to be in the front lines really. I'll stand back and be here for assistance," Ino stated.

"Isago and I will hang back too. Neither of us are medics but five versus five sounds fair. We're here if assistance is needed," Baki informed them.

"Sounds good to me. We aren't going to need any back up," Naruto said with a foxy grin, "Let's get busy kicking ass!"

Naruto took off in the direction they had been heading and everyone except Kiba sighed. "Oh yeah that's what I'm talking about," Kiba said with the same enthusiasm as Naruto. He and Akamaru took off after the blond.

The group of six that remained groaned and chased the two. When they caught up to them, Naruto, Akamaru, and Kiba were both standing in their fighting stance.

"Well, well, looks like they brought back up," a man from the enemy stated. He had blond hair, blue eyes, and a very scarred face. The hard lines and scars could out do Morino Ibiki's. The group all decided to just call this man 'Man One'.

"Seems like it," Another said. This one had brown hair and gray eyes. This would be 'Man Two'.

The other three looked similar to the first two. They were vicious looking and had little that made them look any different than the others.

"What is it that you're doing here," Gaara asked flatly.

"We could ask you the same thing, Kazekage-_sama_," Man Three growled. The way he said 'sama' sent chills down Ino's spine.

"We're looking for something important to him so get out of our way," Naruto shouted.

"If you don't we'll make you move," Kiba growled. Akamaru lowered his body closer to the ground ready to attack.

Man Four started laughing until Kiba, Akamaru, and Naruto all three charged towards the group. Man One and Man Three jumped back from their comrades and began making hand signs. Man Two, Four, and Five were busy smirking. Naruto created five shadow clones and the smirks faded only slightly. Naruto was about to land a punch on Man Five when a blast of fire was heading right for him. Temari swung her giant battle fan and the pressure blew the fire blast away. "I'll take One," Temari muttered.

Kiba and Akamaru were locked in a battle with Two, Shino took over with Three, Gaara took on Four, and Naruto took on Five. The battle lasted longer than anyone would have wanted and the area looked like a mini war had been fought. Trees were shattered and scorched, the ground was torn apart and muddy, and sand lay everywhere. Only two men were left alive, bound with a sealing jutsu to prevent their escape. "We have questions," Kiba said as he pulled one man to his feet by his shirt collar.

"Tch, so do we," The man muttered. His face was so swollen that his words came out slurred. Kiba grunted and pushed the man back to the ground.

"Maybe you should let me handle this," Temari said into Kiba's ear. He nodded and she squatted down in front of the two men. "How about we do a trade. You answer my questions and I'll answer yours," Her voice was sweet and terrified the men and Ino who stood behind her. The men both nodded knowing they had little choice. "Why did you attack us," Temari asked.

The first man was the one to give an answer. "You got in our way," He grunted.

Kiba and Naruto both growled from behind Temari. It was clear that both hot-heads wanted to continue beating their prisoners. Temari exhaled slowly. "What did we get in the way of?"

"We were hunting down a rouge ninja," The second man slurred out.

"But aren't you rouge ninja," Ino asked.

Gaara was deathly silent. This was taking too long. He knew what his sister was trying to do but it would take forever at this rate. He wanted to interrupt and ask the one question he wanted to know.

"We ain't no rouges," The first man snapped, "We belong to the new Oto."

The second man glared at the first and was about to head-butt his companion but Temari placed her hand on his shoulder to keep him from moving. "The new Otogakure?"

"That's what I said," The first man spat out.

"Orochimaru is dead. Who could possibly be running a new Sound Village?"

"He is dead but his research isn't. Our boss is highly interested in continuing it, which is why we were out here tracking down Suigetsu. He's crucial to that research," The second man muttered. He had clearly given up remaining silent.

"Why is he so important? Are you hunting others," Naruto asked.

"Yeah. There's another retrieval team searching for Jugo. We don't know what for. We're towards the bottom of the food chain, ya see? They don't share their plans with us. We're given missions and we complete them. No more, no less," The first man muttered.

"Have you seen this woman," Gaara finally asked holding up a picture of his wife on their honeymoon. She wore a simple pale blue sundress and a floppy straw hat. She was grinning at Gaara who was behind the camera.

"I'd remember seeing her," The first man said.

"No kidding. She's got an exotic doll look to her. Are those Hyuga eyes? I'd definitely remember seeing her. Sadly we ain't seen no body who looks that good," The second whined out.

Gaara lost his cool for a moment. He hadn't shown them the picture for them to check her out. He punched them both as hard as he could and they both were knocked out. "They know nothing to help us," He muttered. No one questioned the enraged Kazekage, not even Naruto who had started to open his mouth just to close it again. "Temari, Isago, and Baki. Get these fools back to Sunagakure for further questioning about this 'New Otogakure'. Also, Temari, find out what Matsuri and the investigation squad have figured out about the deaths of our civilians. I will send word as soon as we find something."

Temari looked at the ground. Gaara was sending her away. She really wanted to find Ren. That was her little sister, if only through marriage, and she wanted to be one of the ones to find her. Temari knew better than to argue with Gaara. He had been irritable and impossible to deal with. Getting the guy to stop long enough to shave his face had been a task in itself. He needed to shave again but no one was willing to tell him that again. They needed to find Ren so he would calm down and listen to reason. How was it that the boy who never showed any emotion could display anger so well? Now that she thought about it, anger was the emotion he understood best. "Bring my sister home," She told Ino, Naruto, Shino, and Kiba. Gaara had already started walking away.

"We will," Ino said kindly.

"Don't worry, Temari. We'll bring Ren-chan home. Believe it!"

"Take care," Shino told Temari.

"Be safe," she responded.

"Let's move out," Kiba shouted as he and Akamaru ran after Gaara to take the lead.

It barely registered when Kiba and Akamaru passed Gaara. Their noses were at work and Gaara could do little more than follow them. Naruto and Ino were running side by side and Shino had made his way to be in step with Gaara. "I am aware that this is a stressful situation but perhaps you should stand back and let those of us with calmer heads handle things. We will find your wife. Just try to keep yourself together," Shino said calmly.

Gaara wanted to punch the bug master. How he could always seem so calm and collected was beyond Gaara. He had thrived on being just like him but this was his wife and child. He loved them far too much to be calm. She was due to have their baby in twelve days. They were running out of time to get her home before the baby boy made his appearance in the world. He prayed she was still alive so that they could be a family. He needed her to be. "Very well," Gaara muttered half-heartedly. He wouldn't argue with the bug user. He was more focused on worrying about his unborn son. What if she had him before he got there? He couldn't bear the thought.

XXXXXXXX

Ren had struggled with the metal on her wrists. They weren't painful, merely annoying. She had tried to leave the house the night before while Kabuto slept but it was like she ran into a barrier. He was allowing her to use his house to the fullest but it still was little comfort. She was a prisoner and didn't know why. That was why she had suggested they have dinner together. Kabuto seemed pleased with this and agreed. "Kabuto," She said meekly from her seat next to him. She was picking at her rice with her chopsticks. She wasn't very hungry and she was miserably hot despite the coolness of the house. "Will you please tell me why you are keeping me here? I know you keep saying to keep me safe but from what? Please just let me know what it is. I can't stay here forever you know. Gaara will find me. It's only a matter of time. If I know why you're keeping me here I can explain things to him. I can't do that without knowing," she said quietly.

Kabuto chewed his food slowly as if trying to buy time before answering her. She watched his jaw moving and caught herself admiring his facial structure. She had seen him without his glasses a few times. He really was handsome. She knew she would fall for him if she didn't love Gaara. Gaara was everything to her though. As attractive and caring as Kabuto seemed to be, he was not Gaara. He wasn't the one to rock her world almost nightly, he wasn't the one who listened to her worries about her pregnancy and the baby, and he wasn't the one who stayed up late with her when she couldn't sleep. Kabuto wasn't the one who would run out late in the night to get ramen or yakon when she wanted it so badly. Gaara was her love and support. Kabuto was keeping her captive under the pretenses of safety. Kabuto did little to make the last part of her pregnancy any less miserable. She couldn't help but feel that Gaara would have done something, be it a back massage or simply telling her she's still beautiful.

"There is a group attempting to rebuild the Sound Village. They are continuing all of Orochimaru's research - Everything from human mutations to a new curse mark. They have almost every note he'd ever made. They know most of his jutsus through and through. The time for peace is slowly fading away with this New Otogakure trying to rise. Our world is going to be thrown back into chaos."

"What does this have to do with me," Ren asked weakly. Of course she could see that on a large scale the uprising of the Sound Village would impact her life. Her husband, friends, and family would all be at war with this new-old village. They would be dragged into a new war when the previous one was so fresh on everyone's minds. Keeping her here wouldn't prevent that at all.

"I'll show you that tomorrow. They plan on following through with Orochimaru's old plans. I have documentation to prove it but tonight I think we both need to just rest easy and relax. I promise I'll show them to you, but I need to locate my key first," Kabuto told her. His voice had a hint of desperation in it. It threw Ren off guard and all she could do was nod. "Great. I'll see you tomorrow morning then. Goodnight."

Ren stood and nodded dumbly. "Goodnight," she said softly. She walked into the bedroom she was currently calling her own and laid down. She should have tried to sleep but the books in the room were all interesting and provided a nice distraction from the dark thoughts she was forming with this new revelation. They were all mostly medical related but she was fascinated and couldn't soak up the information fast enough. It was like she was being trained in medical ninjutsu without actually being. She was in love, she knew now why her mother was a medic.

XXXXXXXX

"I've picked up on her scent again," Kiba called over his shoulder at the group of four that were trailing behind him. Akamaru gave a sharp bark in confirmation.

Shino held out his hand for a kikaichu to land on it. The beetle had a hair wrapped around one of its legs. Shino carefully removed the hair from the beetle and held it up. It was as dark as a raven's feathers. "I believe she has indeed came through here. I cannot be certain but this dark hair seems to be the right color and length to belong to Ren."

Gaara stepped up to Shino and examined the hair himself. It did look like it could belong to Ren. "Let's move out then," Gaara said flatly.

The group broke out into a run, following Kiba and Akamaru's noses in the direction Ren had went. Gaara found himself feeling a renewed sense of hope. It was fortunate that Ren had seemed to be traveling in a fairly straight line. Takigakure was the next village along that path. With any luck that is where they would find her, if not before then. Gaara could hardly contain his excitement. He was ready to see his wife and murder whoever had tried to take her from him. He was running out of time to get his wife back to Sunagakure before she would give birth. He wondered how big her baby bump was now. She had looked ready to pop the last time he saw her. He prayed she was still pregnant. He did not wish to miss the birth of his son.

Gaara's mind drifted to his own fears. He had nightmares about Ren dying, falling in love with someone else, and failing his wife and son as a husband and a father. He rarely had those nightmares but they were seared into his mind. He knew Ren had nightmares of her own. One night she had woke him up kicking and screaming. She had been dreaming about a snake crawling into their bed, biting her, and leaving her to die while its venom coursed through her veins. He had done the only thing he could think to that night; it was the same thing his uncle, Yashamaru, would do for him before he tried to kill him.

Gaara held her close and told her it was only a dream. He swore he would never let that happen to her and assured her everything was fine. He rubbed her back and let her cry. She stopped shaking and thanked him. He played with her hair until he thought she would fall asleep. His wife had other ideas. That night they made love twice and he let her take control of their actions. She had been on top of him and brought him to his climax before her own. It was a long night and he didn't regret any of it, except that she had had that horrible nightmare.

XXXXXXXX

_"__Before I show you why Otogakure involves you, we need to go into town to get some supplies. I'd leave you here because it's a long walk but you can't be more than fifteen yards away from me with those on," Kabuto said as he pointed towards Ren's wrists. She nodded dumbly. "I say very little to the people there. It's a small civilian village that doesn't need dragged into our mess. Try not to say too much and go along with my act. You aren't in danger with me so please don't try to escape. It would be exhausting for us both if you do. Just stick to the plan alright?" _

_Ren nodded again. What could she say? It wasn't like she could run from him anyway. She was too pregnant and the seal he used to keep her nearby wouldn't fade if she were able to somehow manage to kill him. That much she knew. She followed him out of the house in silence. She wasn't in a talking mood and he didn't try to strike up a conversation. They walked hand in hand because they were supposed to be a married couple. He had explained that this would draw less attention if they appeared to be married. Married couples had children so her very pregnant state would not be out of the ordinary. Ren noted that his hands were ice cold, it must be a doctor thing. Her mother's hands were always cold too. She thought that maybe when she got back to Sunagakure she would start learning to be a medic herself. She couldn't go on missions, not as the Kazekage's wife and a mother, but she could help in the hospital._

_Kabuto purchased food, baby blankets, a crib, and several other supplies a newborn would need. Ren made the mistake of asking, "How do you plan to get all of this home?" _

_Kabuto grinned and she realized her mistake. She had called his house as 'home.' She opened her mouth to correct herself but the little old woman that ran the shop they were currently standing in interrupted. "He'll take things home the same way he always does, dear. He's got some fancy ninja scroll that seals everything into it." The woman chuckled and Ren nodded slowly. Of course Kabuto would do that. Every ninja used scrolls to transport items once they learned how. "I can't believe you let him wait so long to buy all these things though, my dear. You look like you're going to give birth at any moment. I know how husbands are however. They never do anything until they have to then go into panic mode when things aren't ready," The woman spoke gently with a look of remembrance on her wrinkled face._

_"__Yes, that's exactly how he is," Ren said with a pretend giggle. She really didn't know if he was like that or not. He usually seemed prepared for everything. She and Gaara had everything ready for their baby months ago. Perhaps it was just civilian men who put everything off._

_"__Will you be having the baby at the clinic," the woman asked as she cooed over Ren's big baby bump. _

_Ren allowed the woman to rub her belly and forced a smile. She wasn't really fond of everyone always wanting to touch her. People saw a pregnant belly and it was like they flocked to it. "Actually I'll be having him at home. Won't I, honey," She glanced at Kabuto with a sinister smile on her face._

_She watched him sweat drop and clear his throat. "Of course. Our home, the one we will be taking all of this stuff to, will be a perfect place for his birth. I have everything set up for that but didn't have a crib and necessities for after his birth just yet. Now that we have them we should be on our way."_

_Kabuto's words seemed innocent enough to the old woman who ran the shop but they were like knives to Ren. He really wouldn't let her go home to have her baby. She frowned and fought not to sink into a depression over that realization. She had known he wasn't planning to take her home any time soon but every time he confirmed that she felt like he had sliced into her heart. _"Gaara please hurry," _Ren thought to herself._

The 'married couple' arrived back 'home' slower than anticipated. Ren was having false contractions and had to stop walking completely every now and then. When they finally did make it back to the house it was past lunchtime, and Kabuto insisted that she eat before he showed her what he wanted. Ren had eaten like a bird. She couldn't eat much lately without being hit with wave after wave of nausea. She could agree with everyone that the baby boy growing within her was ready to come out. She had started 'nesting' a few days ago, as hard as that was in someone else's house. She cleaned her room almost constantly, rearranged every book in the room she could find, and then moved on to the rest of the house. It was like she had no control over her body. She just wanted to clean, clean, clean and have everything ready for her baby boy, even if she didn't want to have him in this house. Kabuto had told her it was normal. Her body and mind knew she would be giving birth soon and her instincts were telling her to prepare. He said that every woman went through a 'nesting' phase.

Kabuto unlocked a door at the back of the house and pushed it open. "This way," he told her as he started heading down the staircase. He was leading her into a basement and she couldn't help but be on edge by it. She had no idea what to expect. He flicked a switch at the foot of the stairs and several bright lights came on. The room was large and resembled a hospital in her opinion. There were three exam tables, a bed, several files, and countless machines. She could recognize almost all of them from the knowledge she acquired from her mother's stories about the hospital and Kabuto's medical journals. It truly was like his own personal infirmary. "This is where I brought you to remove the poison from your body," Kabuto explained to her.

"I see," Ren whispered as she looked around. The room was extremely clean and smelled sterile. That was slightly comforting if this would be where her baby would be born. She didn't want anything to harm her baby and that included germs.

Kabuto walked over to a large filing cabinet and pulled it open. He searched through the files while Ren stood nearby taking in the sight of the room. Its walls and floor were cement painted off-white. He pulled a file from the cabinet and handed it to her. "This folder contains half of what you need to know and, before you read it, I'm sorry for every part I played in gathering that information. I was not the person then that I am today. I went through a terrible genjutsu that I couldn't break without learning who I am and what I want. It changed me for the better. I'm trying to right my wrongs, starting with you."

Ren's eyes glazed over as she tried to process his words. She didn't give herself much time to think on it though. She felt like things would come to light better if she knew what was in the folder. She noticed 'Hyogo Ren' was written on the cover and tab. This file was about her. She read through it and as she did, Kabuto searched for another file. The file with her name on it contained a great deal of information about her. It was a record of her stats, medical history, 'possible heritage', and accomplishments up until 3 years prior. They had known she was in Kusagakure, that she was using her byakugan, and that she had been on dates with Yoshihiro. They recorded every detail of her life in that folder. "How did you get this," Ren asked weakly, she was afraid to truly know.

"We gathered the information little by little through spying and our own investigations. I first saw you when you were 15. I was 20 at the time and couldn't be bothered to learn much about you without Orochimaru's persistence. By the time you made your way out of Sunagakure with Mori - or should I say Yoshida - Momoko I was far too interested in you for my own good. I made it a point to know everything about you so that I could serve to my fullest when it came time to go through with Orochimaru's plan. Your life became an obsession of mine at the time. I found you quite fascinating. This folder contains every gruesome detail of his plan," Kabuto replied while handing Ren another folder and taking the one she had been holding.

She watched him place her folder back in the drawer and blinked. Kabuto was a stalker? The tone in his voice made it seem like she had more than fascinated him. Infatuated maybe? Surely that wasn't right. She looked down at the folder in her hands. It was titled 'Byakuingan'. What did that even mean? She held her breath as she opened the file and read through it. Byuakuingan was shortened for Byakugan-Sharingan.

Orochimaru had planned on giving her the Heaven's Curse Mark. It was apparently the same one given to Uchiha Sasuke and Mitarashi Anko, they were the only two to survive it. Anko hadn't been what he wanted and she was left behind by her own choice. Orochimaru planned on using it as a test to see if she could survive it as well. If she could she would be trained to be her strongest. When Orochimaru was satisfied with her progression and strength she would then have been used to mother a vessel containing both the Sharingan and the Byakugan. Notes on the sides of the pages indicated that they were prepared for her to have to have multiple children before getting the child they desired. It was also indicated that Orochimaru didn't care if Sasuke impregnated Ren before or after Orochimaru took his body.

Ren felt sick. They were going to torture her, rape her, and then repeat until she gave Orochimaru what he wanted. The sickest part was that the 50+ year old snake was willing to do so himself. She nearly dropped the file from her hands but Kabuto caught it and stuffed it away. "That is why you are involved," He whispered. "I know it's a lot to take in and I cannot begin to express how sorry I am for what I've done, but I need to keep you away from these people. I don't believe they have the ability to switch bodies like Orochimaru did but it's only a matter of time before one of them finds out that technique. They're attempting to retrieve every person that Orochimaru ever experimented on. You were one of those even if it was on a meniscal scale compared to some. The medication I made for you during your coma was meant to give you a reason to seek him out. Every time you used your kekkei genkai we knew about it. They are aware of you, Ren, and it may not take them long to decide to try and continue that experiment too."

Ren sat down on the closest object she could, which happened to be a desk. She took a deep breath and hung her head low. It was so much to take in. Kabuto had helped in that plan and she knew she should be angry with that. She was angry with that; but she was also scared. This impacted her life more than she ever imagined possible. Her body began to shake. They want a Byakuingan child. They wanted to use her in the most disgusting way she could imagine. A thought dawned on her. "Hinata," She whimpered. She looked up at Kabuto who had placed his hands on her shoulders at some point. She hadn't even noticed. "Sasuke is married to my cousin Hinata. They could very well have the child that these people want," She said quietly. Her voice was too weak from shock to be loud. Now she was worrying about her cousin as well. Her cousin could have a baby with both the sharingan and byakugan. Her mother, uncle, and cousins could be in danger just because of this.

"I'm aware and have sent a message to Sasuke. I doubt he will believe me but I had to try. I planned to go to him myself after I picked you up from Sunagakure but I wasn't expecting you to be pregnant or poisoned. My plan fell through when I stumbled across you in the desert. For now I'll just have to hope Sasuke believes my words and heeds my warning. He needs to use caution at all times. I do not know who is in on it with them. Oh and for the record, I wouldn't have allowed anyone to touch you. I decided that when I once saw Yoshihiro leaning in to kiss you."

Ren froze. What did he mean by that last part? She stared up into his eyes and her body stopped moving. She had been shaking from what she had read and now she was still as a corpse. He wouldn't allow anyone to touch her? Why wouldn't he have allowed Orochimaru or Sasuke to do so? Wasn't that the plan? After what felt like an eternity of neither of them moving Ren finally asked, "Why? Why wouldn't you have let Orochimaru get what he wanted from me?"

"I can't answer that in this lifetime," he muttered before stepping back. "Let's go upstairs. I believe we still have a crib to set up."

Kabuto headed up the stairs and it took Ren a minute to follow him. It was all so much to take in. She was going to be a broodmare for Orochimaru. Kabuto says he wouldn't have allowed that but why? Hinata and Sasuke had been married longer than Ren and Gaara. What would happen if Hinata happened to get pregnant? She knew Sasuke and Hinata weren't planning on reviving his clan for a while but things don't always go as you expect them to. One thing Ren was sure about was that Gaara needed to find her and be enlightened on the severity of the situation. As Kazekage he could make the other nations aware and go from there. With a sigh Ren forced herself off the desk and up the stairs to find her captor.

XXXXXXXX

_Gaara lay on the ground unmoving. Someone had taken him and had Shukaku extracted. He was dead. Ren knew it but she couldn't accept it. She kneeled beside her husband and wept. She begged him to come back to her. She pleaded with Kami for him to be spared. She pressed her face against his lifeless chest and considered taking her own life. Life without Gaara wasn't worth living. She heard a noise behind her and a faceless old woman poured her own life into Gaara's body. He woke up and the old woman was dead. Ren was now several feet from her husband. She hadn't moved but she was so far away now. No one seemed to see her. They all crowded around Gaara. Matsuri and Sari were gushing over Gaara's resurrection. Temari was the only thing keeping the squealing girls from Ren's husband and she couldn't move. She couldn't make her claim on him known. It was like she was a ghost unable to communicate with the living. She watched Naruto, Kankuro, and Temari interact with her husband. All of Suna were celebrating. Matsuri wormed her way over to Gaara and kissed him on his lips. To Ren's distress he kissed her back! Ren cried out to Gaara but he didn't hear her, no one heard her. The image was gone and Ren was left completely alone. She wandered through a dark room unable to locate a light or the exit. She stumbled over something and fell onto her hands and knees. It was all that was needed for someone to come up behind her and hold a rope to her throat. She couldn't breathe and could only listen as the person removed her clothes and his own. "You're mine," He whispered seductively in her ear. His voice was sinister and venomous. Ren could do nothing to stop him._

Ren sat straight up in bed gasping for air. She couldn't breathe. She was covered in sweat but freezing. She took a deep breath to try to calm herself but her nightmare was still too fresh in her mind. She couldn't help herself and broke down crying. She cried until her lower back started to hurt. The pain only lasted a short time. She was hiccupping and decided she needed some water so she crawled from the bed. She was almost to the door when she tripped and fell onto her hands and knees. Ren froze in place, waiting for the rope to come around her neck.

It never came. She forced herself back to her feet and gasped when she felt an achy pain in her lower back again. It didn't take long for it to pass. She headed out the door, hell bent on getting water, when she saw Kabuto on the floor. He had made a pallet next to her door. She sniffled and knelt down beside him. She had to talk to someone and he was the only person here. He opened one of his dark eyes to look at her. "What's wrong," he asked as he sat up to turn on a light. He stared at Ren's red and puffy eyes and frowned.

"I had a nightmare," She whispered. Kabuto nodded and opened his arms. She hesitated but decided that any comfort was good comfort, even if it came from the man you just found out was stalking you. She moved to sit between his legs and rested her head against the crook of his neck. "I dreamed that Gaara died. I know he did when Shukaku was removed. That was the death I dreamed about. I was there but as soon as he was revived I couldn't reach him. Matsuri, one of the girls who has a big crush on Gaara, kissed him and he kissed her back. I couldn't do anything. Everything went black and I found myself wandering. It was like when I was in my coma but I tripped and fell. When I fell someone wrapped a rope around my neck and was going to rape me," Ren's voice cracked at the end and she broke into sobs, "It felt so real."

Kabuto rubbed her back and rested his head on hers. "It was only a dream. I'm sure the Kazekage still loves you very much. No one is going to rape you, I promise," Kabuto assured her.

"I just want to go home to my husband. I know how dangerous things are but I miss my husband. I don't want him to move on without me. I… I love him so much," Ren sobbed into his neck.

"I suppose I could take you back to Sunagakure and be your own personal guard, assuming the Kages wouldn't have me executed," Kabuto said with a sigh.

"Gaara wouldn't let that happen, not if we explain the situ- ahhhh," Ren gasped at the end. She squeezed Kabuto hard without meaning to. The pain she felt earlier was stronger and move forward to her belly. "K-kabuto I think, I think I'm having contractions." Ren whimpered.

Kabuto could only nod. She had almost squeezed the air out of him. He helped her to her feet. "Let's get you down to the basement. I'll help you down there then get the stuff we'll need from up here. I'll start tracking your contractions when I get back down there."

Ren nodded and started to cry. She was in labor, she was sure of it. These were different than the pains she got when she was moving too much. They were painful and she could feel her muscles contracting. She followed him to the stairs and allowed him to help her down them. Her mind wasn't there. It was too focused on going through labor without her husband. This was nothing like she expected things to go. This wasn't her plan. She had to stop twice for contractions. "This is really happening," She wailed. She didn't want to have her son like this. She wanted Gaara. Where was Gaara?

"It'll be fine. I'm here to help you through this. Just relax okay," Kabuto said with his hands on her shoulders. "Just breathe," he told her before breathing in deeply and exhaling. Ren mimicked him a few times. "Good, keep doing that. Focus on breathing," Kabuto told her as he let her go. She sat on the bed to get through another contraction. "Here," Kabuto said as he handed her a cloth nightgown. "You change into this and I'll be right back. I know this is kind of obvious but leave the underwear off." At her look of horror he winced and muttered, "Sorry. I need to see how far dilated you are. I should've been checking that all this time. I'm sorry," He told her regretfully.

Ren paled. Oh god Kabuto was going to see between her legs. She waited for him to disappear up the stairs then got undressed. She had to stop before she could get the nightgown on to breathe through another contraction. She cried out in pain lowly and forced herself to pull the nightgown over her head. She got it on just in time to see Kabuto coming down the stairs. She was leaning over the bed with her hands placed shoulder width apart rocking back and forth on the balls of her feet. It brought enough comfort for her at that moment.

Kabuto took one step towards her and she was crying out in pain again. She felt something wet gush between her legs and heard it splash on the floor. Ren's eyes went wide and she stared at Kabuto. "K-kabuto," She whimpered.

"Yeah, I think it's safe to say your water just broke," Kabuto said wearily. He seemed just as nervous as she was. That was not comforting at all. She had half a mind to ask if he had ever delivered a baby before. It didn't really matter at this point. She would have to trust that he knew what he was doing.

_"__Gaara I need you here. Please get here," _Ren shouted in her mind as Kabuto helped her into the bed where a mat would absorb the amniotic fluid her body was now leaking out.

XXXXXXXX

Gaara, Kiba, Ino, Shino, and Naruto stopped in a small town not too far from Takigakure. They were all exhausted, including the insomniac amongst them: Gaara. They had been searching for Ren for a week straight and Gaara had for even longer. After asking a local about a place they could sleep the group settled in for the night. Everyone recognized Gaara as the Kazekage and they were 'pampered' as best the people there could. Gaara was unable to relax and insisted that it was unnecessary for them to go out of their way for him. By the time morning arrived he was ready to head out.

"Maybe we should ask someone if they've seen Ren," Ino suggested. They had been debating about it for a while but the blond kunoichi was still convinced that they could ask about her without making it known to the world that the Kazekage's wife was missing.

"I am willing to take the risk," Gaara stated. He needed to find his wife no matter what the cost.

"Yeah, me too at this point. I feel like we've been at this forever," Naruto grumbled.

"Yeah alright but Ino does the talking. I've learned that I'm not so great when it comes to subtlety and Shino here creeps people out," Kiba announced as he motioned to the bug wielder. That was possibly the most honest thing Kiba had ever said. Shino turned away to sulk.

"Sure, I'll ask. Gaara are you going to be able to keep yourself calm no matter what we find out? I mean, you're a wreck. I never thought I'd say that about you. Never in a million years," Ino said.

"I will be fine," Gaara muttered. Everyone was clearly dancing around him like they would break something if they said something wrong. It irritated him. He understood why but it didn't help his anger.

"Okay then. Let's go find someone to ask," Ino mumbled.

The group left the inn and approached the first person they saw. It was a little old woman who seemed to run a shop filled with blankets, clothes, and other attire. "Um, excuse me," Ino called to her gently.

The woman turned and smiled. "Oh, Ohayo, dearie. How are you this morning," the woman asked cheerfully.

"I'm doing alright ma'am. I was wondering if you could help us," Ino glanced back at her team. They were all standing a little ways away from Ino watching her closely. "You see, we're looking for this woman. She's a friend of ours and we have a gift for her but the directions to her house were kind of confusing," Ino lied through her teeth as she showed the old woman the picture of Ren.

"Oh yes! She's a sweet young thing. Quite a beauty! Her husband is quite a looker too. They were in here yesterday buying things for their baby. That baby is going to be a real heart-throb when he's grown. She looked like she could give birth at any moment! Men! Always waiting until the last second to make sure everything's prepared. She said she was going to be having the baby at home. I would have told her that having the baby at the clinic would be safer but her husband is a good doctor," the old woman cooed.

Gaara shifted his weight from one foot to the other trying his best to keep calm. Either this woman was mistaken or Ren was pretending someone else was her husband. The bastard probably forced her to go along with his act. Gaara was emitting an aura of raw killing intent so Kiba, Naruto, and Akamaru had to push him into another shop under the pretenses of needing the bathroom. Shino remained with Ino to listen. "Could you tell me what her husband looks like? I've not gotten the chance to meet him yet," Ino asked sweetly.

The woman nodded. She hadn't noticed the action going on behind Ino at all. "Oh yes. He's tall and fair skinned. He's got these piercing black eyes that catch everything, well, he wears round glasses so I don't think his eyes actually catch everything, but they sure seem to. He's got hair that's long and a pretty shade of silver. He used to be a ninja but I'm not sure where he was from. He's helped us out down here in the village occasionally but usually keeps to himself. We don't ask too many questions, you see. I was slightly surprised to see he even had a wife! I always thought him to be the loner type but I guess they get along just fine since she's pregnant."

Gaara had convinced the others that he was fine and had returned in time to hear the woman's description of the 'husband'. His rage was becoming too much but he stuck it out anyway. He just needed to be pointed in the right direction. "Could you tell us which way it is to their house," Gaara asked as calmly as he possibly could. His voice came out flat and uncaring, much to his comrades' relief.

"They live a ways down that path. The house is gray with a green door. It's the first one out that way," the woman said as she pointed down a path to the north.

"Thank you so much, ma'am. You've been a big help to us. I can't wait to give my friend her gift," Ino said and abruptly threw her arms around the startled old woman. The woman patted her back and bid them all farewell.

"Was it me or did the old hag describe Kabuto," Kiba asked when they were away from the village.

"Yeah that's what I was thinking too," Naruto said with a nod.

"I'll murder him," Gaara said flatly. There was no emotion in his voice whatsoever and it was frightening. Everyone knew he was deathly serious.

"Let's not get too carried away. We don't know for sure that it is Kabuto we're dealing with. If it is Kabuto he's got a reason for keeping Ren and we need to figure out what that is before we deal with him like the traitor he is," Ino stated. Her own voice was harsh sounding.

"Let's go get Ren-chan back! C'mon! Hurry up," Naruto shouted as he broke out into a run down the path the woman had pointed them to.

XXXXXXXX

Ren panted and rocked from her sitting position on the bed. She was sweating and Kabuto was almost constantly wiping her brow with a damp cloth. She couldn't find words to say to him. She was in too much pain and she wanted her husband. Nothing Kabuto did could console her. She was crying, squeezing his hand, and trying to breathe through the contractions.

"You're doing great," Kabuto said from her side. His hand felt broken (even though it wasn't) but he knew her pain was far worse. She was gritting her teeth as another contraction hit and it was all he could do to brace himself to be squeezed. Her grip on his hand was lessening, a sign that she had over used the muscles in her hands. He was pleased when she released his hand and turned towards him. Well, he was pleased until the words she wanted to say left her mouth.

"I can't do this," She whimpered, "It hurts too much. I'm not ready. Make him stay in. Please make him stay in," Ren pleaded. She was staring into Kabuto's eyes with such an intense look that he almost wished he could do that for her.

Kabuto sighed and wiped her forehead again. "I can't. Your body knows it's time so it's time," he told her in the sternest voice he could muster. He wasn't enjoying her pain at all.

"I've been doing this for hours," Ren whined, "hours and I still don't feel any closer. How much longer, Kabuto?"

"I don't know Ren. First babies are never predictable. I can't use history to guess how long your labor will last. Some women experience it for an hour others for over a day. You're doing great, just hang in there," He reassured her.

"I can't. I want my husband. I need him. I-," Ren's words were cut off by another contraction. They were getting closer together and Kabuto was sure she would need to push within the next few hours. Ren screamed out in pain and the only thing Kabuto could do was hold her hand. "I want my Gaara," Ren cried.

"I know," Kabuto said, "I'm sure he'll be here soon."

Ren looked over at him with her eyes full of hope. "You mean it," She asked.

"I believe he will be," Kabuto said softly. He prayed he wasn't lying through his teeth. Ren was frightening when she was angry and he found himself actually hoping the Fifth Kazekage was nearby.

"W-will you go see if he's here yet? H-he won't kn-know to come down here," She asked through another whimper. Kabuto wondered if she was becoming delusional.

"Will you be okay alone long enough for me to," Kabuto asked kindly. He had to do it, if for no other reason than to keep her calm. She nodded and released his hand. "Alright. I'll be right back and then I'll check to see how dilated you are now."

XXXXXXXX

"Well what does it say," Naruto asked as he practically hovered over Shino's shoulder. The bug user had been staring at his kikaichu for what felt like forever. The group was perched in a large tree 10 yards from the gray house with a green door. Everyone was on edge but Naruto was the one who was the least skilled in keeping his composure.

"Ren and Kabuto are both within the house. They are panicked and she is in a great amount of pain," Shino said flatly.

"See I told you that's what I was smelling," Kiba grunted.

"So what do we do," Ino asked.

It was taking everything Gaara had not to rush in blindly and kill anyone who wasn't his wife. He now knew she was hurt and scared. That was enough to make his control over himself weaken. He needed to go about things with strategy though. He didn't know what was waiting within the house and he wouldn't be helping her if he messed up.

"I say we go knock on the door," Kiba stated.

"What," Naruto shouted. He hadn't given Kiba a chance to finish.

"Knock on the door then knock him out when he opens it. Easy," Kiba said with a nod.

"Not that easy," Ino muttered, "This is Kabuto we're dealing with. He's not going to open the door and let us knock him unconscious. What if he's not working alone?"

"Let's just barge in there and beat anyone who gets in our way," Naruto suggested enthusiastically. He held his hand up in a fist to show his confidence.

Gaara half wanted to agree with his plan. He knew they couldn't. Gaara sighed heavily. "We do not know what awaits us within there."

"I could use my mind transfer jutsu on him. One of you goes and knocks on the door, runs, then when he opens it I get him," Ino suggested.

"Or you could just come in," Kabuto shouted from bellow them. They had been so busy talking out a plan they hadn't heard him approaching. "Kazekage-sama, your wife is in labor and requesting your support," Kabuto shouted up.

Gaara lost his balance from shock and almost fell out of the tree but Naruto grabbed him. Gaara couldn't believe it. Their baby was in the process of being born. He felt a sense of nostalgia. He had to get in there to see his wife! All five ninja and Akamaru jumped down from the tree and landed next to Kabuto. He was about to be a father. That was the only thing Gaara could think about. Nothing came to mind about killing Kabuto even though he now had the chance. He just wanted to get to his wife. Screw anything else.

"I'll have to ask that everyone else remains in the living room," Kabuto said as he walked back towards his house. This was bittersweet for him. Ren would have her husband back but Kabuto would be forgotten. He glanced over his shoulder to make sure everyone was following him. He showed them into his home and motioned towards the living room for Kiba, Ino, Shino, Naruto, and Akamaru to enter. He looked at Gaara and told him, "She's missed you terribly. It's only a matter of time before your son is brought into the world. If you had been any slower, I fear she would have lost hope."

Gaara nodded dumbly. He was unable to think of anything to say. He just wanted to see Ren. "This way then," Kabuto said as he walked towards the back of the house. He was aware he would be bombarded with many questions and accused of many things but none of it mattered at that moment. Kabuto was focused on doing what he was meant to. He stepped down the steps and Ren's panting echoed through the room. "Look who I found," Kabuto said in his best fake cheery voice.

Kabuto stepped aside and Gaara was standing there. He looked worse for wear. His clothes were torn, he needed to shave, and his eyes looked duller than usual. Ren's heart stopped for a second and she started crying. "Gaara," She called out to him and tried to get out of bed.

Gaara rushed to her side and wrapped his arms around her. She held him just as tightly and seemed to almost ignore her next contraction. "I thought I lost you," Gaara whispered into her ear.

"I'm here," Ren whimpered through her sobs against his chest, "I'm here and you found me. I knew you would. Oh Gaara I've missed you so mu-." Ren couldn't finish her sentence. She cried out loudly in pain.

"What's going on down there," Kiba shouted from the top of the stairs.

Ren paled and shook her head. "No. Whoever it is no. I've been exposed to enough people today. I don't want anyone else seeing me like this," She pleaded to Gaara.

"Stay up there, Kiba. She's doing fine. Tell Ino she's fine," Gaara called up the stairs.

Kabuto cleared his throat. "I hate to break up the reunion but I do need to see how close to delivery you are," Kabuto stated.

Gaara released Ren but kept her hand in his as she laid back. He watched Kabuto's movements and wanted to punch him. He was touching his wife in a place he felt only he should. Gaara knew that this was for medical purposes so he did nothing but that didn't mean he didn't want to.

"Ren," Ino shouted from the bottom of the steps.

"So much for no one else seeing you like this," Kabuto muttered from his place at the foot of the bed.

Ino pushed Gaara out of the way and threw her arms around Ren in an instant. "Oh, Ren! We've been so worried! I'm so glad you're okay!" Everyone could feel the relief wash over the Yamanaka woman.

Gaara stood by watching without a clue what to do. Kabuto cleared his throat. "Ino right," Kabuto asked. She nodded. "You've had medical training if I recall correctly?" She nodded again. "Then you can assist me. She's at nine centimeters dilated. She'll be ready to push soon as she gets to ten and I'll appreciate a second pair of hands," Kabuto informed her. Ino's eyes lit up and she stood up straight. "Go wash up," Kabuto said as he nodded towards a sink.

Ino practically skipped over to the sink. Gaara was back by Ren's side as soon as he was able. He held her hand and kissed her forehead. "I love you," he whispered. He had never felt like he meant those words more. He always meant them but as things were he meant them one hundred times more. At that moment Gaara was pleased he had decided to go with everything because he couldn't picture being without Ren. If he had played their relationship safe he would have ended up with nothing. He was happy he chose 'all' in his sister's suggestion of taking 'all or nothing'.

A grin formed on Ren's face. "I love you as well," she told him quickly so that she could grind her teeth for the next contraction.


	12. Ch 11: Kage Conference

**Chapter Eleven:**

"Don't you think we should be doing something," Kiba asked as he motioned towards the door at the back of the house. He was pacing back and forth in front of the couch in Kabuto's living room. He had been at this for an hour. Waiting really wasn't the Inuzuka's style. "This is Yakushi Kabuto we're dealing with. He's a rogue shinobi who betrayed the Leaf and every other village."

"We can't do anything while Ren's in labor, Kiba. As soon as he's done delivering that baby we'll take him down," Naruto said with a fox-like grin from his position perched on the arm of the couch. He was shaking his leg as an indication of his own impatience. He was having a difficult time being tolerant as well.

"Don't you two find it odd that he let us in here? The way he spoke to Gaara was like he had expected us. What if we have interpreted the situation wrong? We should hear what's going on from Ren and Kabuto before we do anything," Shino stated. He was sitting calmly on the middle cushion. Akamaru was on the floor at his feet watching his master pace.

"And what if Kabuto uses that time while she's explaining it to us to get away," Kiba barked back as he flung his arms up in frustration.

"We are shinobi of the Leaf. We will not just allow him to slip through our fingers again. We are older, stronger, and wiser now. We are not the genin and chunin he once knew. When the time comes will we question him and hear what he has to say as well as what Ren says. We do not know what has happened and making assumptions that we do could prove disastrous," Shino replied flatly.

"Listen here Bug-boy, no matter what happened with Ren, he's in the bingo book. He's an S-Rank criminal and we need to take him down. The book says 'kill on sight' and we've ignored it so far," Kiba countered. He had stopped moving to glare at Shino.

"We have ignored that because there are still questions to be answered. We have to be patient and think this through before dealing with this situation. The Hokage would be pleased if we could bring Kabuto back with us alive. ANBU could interrogate him and use any information given to us to better protect the Leaf. We are still missing pieces of the puzzle regarding Orochimaru and his experiments. This is a chance for us to serve our village to our fullest," Shino retaliated.

Naruto opened his mouth now; "Kabuto and Orochimaru gave us a hand in the war, right? Maybe even bad people have some good in them. Kabuto was following his master without question like we've seen countless enemies do before us. Maybe Shino's right and we should hear him out."

"I still think we need to take him down! Naruto, I thought you'd stick with me on this," Kiba howled but his words were drowned out by the loud cry. All four males looked at each other and Akamaru barked. "Seems like the baby's here and we still don't have a plan," Kiba grumbled.

The cry continued for several minutes then stopped. No one came up the stairs to tell them anything. Kiba grumbled to himself while Akamaru whined. It was now Naruto's turn to be on his feet walking the length of the living room. "Gah! This is taking forever," Naruto exclaimed.

"Quite down, Naruto, we still need to come up with a plan," Kiba scolded the jinchuriki.

"A plan for what," Ino asked from the hallway. She looked exhausted and her hair was disheveled within its high ponytail. There were stray hairs sticking up everywhere.

"What happened to you," Kiba asked. He had turned to look at the blond and his eyes went wide. She usually was very high-maintenance when it came to her appearance but in all honesty Kiba thought she looked like hell right now. Akamaru joined him at his side and whined. He thought Ino looked terrible too.

"Whoa, you look like you've been through a battle," Naruto said as he approached his fiancée. He looked her up and down and paled when he noticed a few bloodstains on the dark purple material of her shirt.

"Delivering a baby isn't easy on anyone. I'd like to see you come out of it looking like you just stepped outside for the day," Ino muttered. She had come up to tell them they could meet the baby but instead was met with 4 pairs of eyes scrutinizing her appearance. She couldn't be 100% positive about Shino but she was sure he was staring at her too.

"Oh right," Naruto said softly as he recovered. He threw his arm around Ino's shoulder and pulled her close. She smiled and snuggled into his chest. "So when do we get to see the baby," Naruto asked softly.

Ino prayed he kept his quiet and gentle tone. The newest member of the Kazekage family had been very fussy when she had left the basement. He seemed to have a tendency to whimper instead of full-out crying. "Everyone can come meet him now. Ren did great and Kabuto is a really good doctor, believe it or not. He wouldn't have needed my help at all. That being said I was a big help. It would be difficult to deliver a baby on your own. Kabuto even thanked me every time I did what he asked… It was really strange. I never imagined Kabuto thanking me for anything." She could feel Naruto's eyes staring at her as she trailed off from them seeing the baby. She shook her head and came back to the present, geaturing the group to see their friends down below. "C'mon guys," Ino boasted as she pulled away from Naruto's embrace.

She led them down the stairs in awkward silence. Kiba, Akamaru, and Shino — all three seemed on edge. Ino hadn't even thought about it much when she ran down the stairs. She hadn't been thinking about possible danger, only that her friend was there and she wanted to help. That was why she had rushed down the stairs without hesitation. Ren was in pain and Ino, as a medic and friend, wanted to see her for herself. Ren had been in good health, mostly. Ino noticed that she was weaker than the last time she saw her but Kabuto had explained that she had been poisoned. That made the flawless delivery of the baby boy so amazing. Ren's body was exhausted, she could have died giving birth, but she pulled through. Ino doubted Gaara would have been able to handle it if history repeated itself. That was a possible internal battle he had been having ever since he found out Ren was pregnant. To lose your mother while you were being born, Ino just couldn't imagine it.

Ino walked over to stand behind Gaara facing the hospital bed. Ren was leaning back in a half sitting-half laying position and her eyelids were seemingly heavy. She had dark circles under her eyes, her long raven hair was drenched in sweat and stuck to her face, and her fair skin was paler than normal. Ino swallowed hard at the sight. She had looked this way when she had left but it was still difficult to see. Ren was beautiful, even now, but she looked so worn out and ill that Ino was still worried about her.

Kiba, Naruto, Shino, and Akamaru took their places beside Ino. Ren's eyes opened fully and she stared at Ino then her eyes drifted to Naruto. "Hello Naruto," Ren said with a weak smile. He nodded to her but said nothing. She let her eyes drift to his right and they stopped on Shino. She didn't even look at Kiba and Akamaru as she blinked the Aburame into focus. Her vision was a little fuzzy. She noted that the male wore dark goggles and wondered if he was the guy Temari mentioned a long ago that always hid his eyes. _"What was the name she said,"_ Ren asked herself as she tried to remember. She gave up after only a few seconds and shifted her focus to the dog. He was big and simply adorable. If she weren't so tired she would have attempted to scratch behind his ears. She stared at the last person: A tall male with red upside down triangles that reminded her of a canine's fangs on his cheeks. She didn't recognize the three.

"Ren," Gaara said quietly, "This is Aburame Shino, Akamaru, and Inuzuka Kiba. They assisted me in finding you. Without them we never would have been able to track you. They are shinobi of the Leaf and valuable allies to the Sand."

"It's nice to meet you," Ren told them weakly with a nod in their direction. She hoped that would suffice. She was unable to offer more respect to them than that right now. Her arms hurt from all the squeezing she had done to Kabuto's poor hands, her body ached from having Kenta, and her mind was drained because of all the stress.

"Nice to meet you too," Shino said with a nod of his own.

"Yeah. It's great to finally meet the woman who managed to snag the Kazekage," Kiba replied with a chuckle.

Ren blushed faintly and looked up at Gaara. He was still holding Kenta and hadn't looked at her this whole time. She couldn't help but feel lonely about that. She turned her attention to Naruto who was staring over Gaara's shoulder at the baby. He hadn't said anything to her yet. He hadn't uttered a single word at all. This felt weird from Naruto. "N-naruto," Ren whispered but was still able to be heard. Naruto looked at her and gave her a smile. She didn't want to hear what he was going to say. "Would you like to hold him," Ren asked softly.

Naruto's eyes went wide and he nodded. "I'd love to," He said as softly as he could through his excitement.

"Are you sure that's a good idea," Ino asked with her eyes wide. She knew Naruto. He wasn't exactly graceful and gentle. Well, he could be gentle but she really was afraid he would drop Kenta or something equally horrible. It would be a very bad situation if he did. Ren nodded to her and flashed the brightest smile she could. "Well okay then but Naruto you have to sit down and don't move. Make sure you hold his head too," Ino lectured him.

Kabuto rolled a desk chair over to Naruto and gave a small smile. He had been sitting at his desk looking through his things. He wasn't sure how much he really wanted to show Gaara or any other Kage for that matter but decided he needed to show them everything. He couldn't help but overhear the conversation going on a few feet away and decided he would offer his assistance. He really wanted everyone to get out of the room so that Ren could sleep but knew that wasn't an option. As the Kazekage's wife visitors were expected. Ren was too nice to ask anyone to leave anyway. He would give them a while before telling them she needs her rest.

Naruto sat down on the chair and muttered, "Thanks," to Kabuto. Gaara was still staring at Kenta and reluctantly handed the baby over to his best friend. Kenta's eyes were closed but his bright red hair stuck out from the blanket he was wrapped in. "He looks just like you but with eyebrows," Naruto commented to Gaara. Gaara's right nostril flared slightly but Naruto missed it, he was too busy staring at Kenta. "He's just the cutest thing ever. Ino, we need to have one of these," Naruto said as he flashed a fox-like smile to his fiancée.

"Oh no. I'm not going through that any time soon. It was awful to watch. I don't want to go through that pain in the near future. I'll keep you to myself for now," Ino said with a giggle.

"Aw but Ino look at him," Naruto said as he turned his attention back to Kenta.

"No means no, Naruto," Ino said with a harmless glare.

Kiba, Shino, and Akamaru crowded around the seated jinchuriki and stared at the baby. "I don't see what's so great," Kiba muttered as he sniffed the air around Kenta. Akamaru was doing the same but did not share his master's opinion. Akamaru liked the smell of the new human and told Kiba so with a quiet bark. "You would say that," Kiba grumbled and crossed his arms to take a step back away from everything. He walked over to the stairs and sat down to watch Kabuto. Kabuto was leaning on the wall next to Ren's bed staring at her. Kiba couldn't read the guy's face but he didn't take his eyes from Ren once.

Shino stared at the baby from behind his goggles and fought a small smile from appearing on his lips behind his high collar. No one would see it but Shino didn't feel like smiling at all. He was a man, a shinobi, but still found the newborn cute. He would not allow others to know his feelings on that though. He had no desire to be a father yet but seeing a baby was indeed a motivation for doing so later down the line. Shino wondered if this was why babies were often born close together. Did one woman see another woman pregnant and unintentionally get pregnant herself?

Gaara was watching Naruto nervously. He kept swallowing hard as the jinchuriki played with Kenta's hair. He wasn't doing anything that should worry the new father but Gaara was feeling protective over his son. Kenta's blue-green tinted white eyes opened slightly and he began to frown. "Hey there Kenta," Naruto said softly, "I'm your Uncle Naruto. It's really great to meet you. We've all be waiting for you for a long time, buddy." Kenta's frown vanished and was replaced by a small smile. "You're gonna be a real lady killer," Naruto commented.

Ren, Ino, and Kabuto chuckled. Gaara blinked in confusion, Kiba scoffed, Akamaru laid down on the floor with his paws over his head, and Shino remained silent. "I don't think I want to think about him with girls right now," Ren said through her giggle.

"No kidding. He just came into the world an hour ago. We don't need to start planning how we're going to beat the girls off just yet," Ino stated through her own laugh.

Kiba cleared his throat. "Can we just get to the explanation about what the hell is going on now," he asked in a hostile tone.

Ren frowned, Gaara stared at Kiba blankly, Ino gasped, Shino remained silent, and Naruto openly glared at Kiba. He had just ruined a very beautiful moment. Kabuto sighed heavily, as if this was going to be the hardest thing in the world to do, and tried to ease the tension, "I will explain. There is a new Sound village in the process of being created. I was on my way to Sunagakure in the hopes of preventing Hyogo Ren from becoming involved. In case you've all not been made aware, Orochimaru wanted Ren to seek him out. I assumed the new man leading the village would want to use her as well seeing as there are rumors that other experiments have been abducted. I was on my way there when I came across four people: two males, a female, and Ren. Ren was passed out and being carried. I was not planning on becoming involved until I realized who it was they were kidnapping. I fought with them, after learning her identity and that she was married to you now, Kazekage-sama," Kabuto stated as he looked at Gaara. He turned his attention back to the group as a whole, "I was able to kill the three of them but the female poisoned Ren. I found out that it was a poison type used on Kankuro by Sasori of the Red Sand. Perhaps certain medical documents should not be available to just anyone. I rushed Ren back here to save her and Kenta. I've been trying to work out how I could keep her out of the clutches of the new Otogakure but haven't come up with anything aside from keeping her here with me. I couldn't take her back to Sunagakure in her condition. The medicine would have been available to her quickly there but my death would have been guaranteed. I cannot protect her as a corpse."

"And we're supposed to believe that," Kiba questioned.

"You are because it's true. Kabuto saved me from Miki, Iwao, and Yuu. They were going to kill me. I've seen what Orochimaru wanted me for," Ren's voice cracked slightly and she looked away. She took a deep breath then tried to speak again, "We have to warn Hinata. If she has children with Sasuke then they could very well get what they wanted." Ren dropped her head as if it was too heavy to hold up anymore. She placed her cold hand on her hot forehead and tried to calm herself. The whole situation was just too real for her.

"What do you mean," Shino asked stoically. Hinata was his ex-teammate and a dear friend. The mention of her stirred something inside the bug user. It was like Ren had just mentioned his little sister and he had to fight to keep from showing emotion.

Kabuto sighed again and picked up two files from his desk. He handed them to Gaara. Everyone watched as Gaara opened the first file except Kabuto and Ren. Ren closed her eyes and turned her head away. Kabuto watched Ren. He knew how uncomfortable she was with the extent of everything in those two folders. Kabuto now suddenly questioned if he should have kept the information about her dates with Yoshihiro in there. No, he really shouldn't have. He would have to hope that the Kazekage understood what was documented. Ren had turned Yoshihiro down and Kabuto hoped that would be good enough. He did not want Ren being hurt when she had done nothing wrong in the situation.

Gaara closed the first folder and handed it to Shino. The bug wielder squatted down next to Naruto. He opened the file with Ino, Naruto, and Kiba looking over his shoulder. Gaara read through the second one and had to force himself to finish it. By the time he closed the file his eyes were wide and he was frowning outwardly. "What is this," Gaara asked as he handed to folder to Shino and glared at Kabuto.

"That is documentation I kept for Orochimaru regarding Hyogo Ren. As you can see I was very thorough in my research as well as note keeping. I regret everything in those files but they are the exactly what we were working on…well, what we were working on that involved Ren," Kabuto told them. The guilt was apparent in his voice. He truly did feel awful for it.

"And we're supposed to just believe this crap? You could've made this at any time," Naruto said with a glare. He was angry that anyone would do this to Ren. Now he had to worry about them doing it to another friend, Hinata. He didn't want to scare her and piss off Sasuke for a lie. Kenta whimpered and Naruto rocked him gently and whispered an apology to the little one.

"The rogues we met on the way here mentioned a new Otogakure as well," Ino pointed out.

Shino and Gaara nodded. "They could've been lying you know," Kiba muttered.

"We will find out soon enough," Gaara stated, "When we return to Sunagakure, Temari should have a full report on what they have told us. I've sent word to her that we located Ren but I am uncertain when I'll be bringing my family home." Gaara turned to Kabuto, "When will Ren and Kenta be able to travel?"

"We'll discuss it while she's resting. She and Kenta have been through a very strenuous ordeal and I believe it best to allow them to sleep," Kabuto replied.

"You're right," Ino said, "C'mon everyone. We'll discuss what we're doing upstairs." Ino started pushing Shino and Kiba up the stairs with Akamaru trailing behind her. Gaara took Kenta from Naruto and he followed the others. Ino turned her head back to look at Ren. She looked half dead and that was worrying. "Rest well, Ren. We'll see you later," Ino said gently with the brightest smile she could muster. She waited for Ren to nod before she walked up the stairs herself.

"Do you want to sleep down here or have me carry you upstairs," Kabuto asked Ren as soon as the basement door closed. He received a death glare from Gaara and sighed out, "She can't climb stairs with her stitches. She can't lift more than Kenta's weight either. It's just easier on everyone, and less stressful, if one of us carries her. You already have Kenta in your hands."

Gaara frowned but said nothing. Ren lifted her head and gave Gaara a weak smile. "Its okay, Gaara. Kabuto isn't going to hurt me." Gaara nodded and started up the stairs with Kenta in tow. He didn't want to watch his wife being carried by another man but the idea of Kabuto carrying his son was also unsettling. Ren could fight Kabuto off if she needed; Kenta was too small to do so.

Kabuto took his time getting her ready to be moved. In truth he was simply trying to get some alone time with her. "K-kabuto," she whispered. He looked at her and she offered a soft smile. She spoke softly, "I just want to say thank you, for everything."

"Don't say that like you're doing somewhere," Kabuto told her as he moved around the room.

"I-I didn't mean it like that. I just… Everything you've done for me… means more than I could ever express. You could have left me to die… let Orochimaru's subordinates have me… but instead you risked your life for me… so thank you for being my protector, my angel in shinobi's clothing," Ren said weakly.

Kabuto was thrown back by the last part but chalked it up to the pain she was in making her hallucinate. "Well I have a lot to make up for don't I? I'm part of the reason all of this is happening. Let's just enjoy the calm before the storm and hope the Kages can prevent the storm all together," Kabuto replied gently as he slipped his arm under Ren's knees and the other behind her back. She wrapped her arms around his neck. "Ready," he asked. She nodded and he carefully lifted her. She winced in pain but her face quickly relaxed when he was standing straight up. "I'm sorry that this hurts," he muttered.

"It hurts a lot less than it would if I had to climb the stairs myself. Thank you, again, Kabuto," Ren said sweetly. She almost laid her head against his shoulder but thought better of it. No matter how tired she was she wouldn't allow herself to do such a thing. She loved Gaara and she had saw how jealous he was over Kabuto carrying her, she would not add to it by looking too comfortable by it.

Kabuto carried her up the stairs and into the room she had been using during her stay. He carefully lowered her so she could put her feet on the floor and stand. "I'll bring you some clothes. I know you're exhausted but perhaps a shower would be good to help you relax your muscles and your mind. I can see if Gaara will assist you if you need it. I do not think he would take too kindly to me doing so," Kabuto suggested with a sigh. Ren nodded. "Okay, I'll be right back."

Kabuto left the room and Ren rubbed her face. She was so tired, so sore, and so stressed. Kenta had ate his first meal just fine, had his first bowel movement, and was a healthy seven pound, three ounce baby. He was perfect in every way. He was the spitting image of his father but with her eyes and luckily her eyebrows. They were dark and stood contrast to his red hair but they worked for him. It made Ren wonder why Gaara didn't have them. She'd never seen him shave them or anything. Perhaps that was part of being the jinchuriki for the one-tail? She knew that his sand control was now programed into his DNA, maybe that was how things were with his eyebrows too? She didn't know.

Kabuto didn't return for what felt like forever but was really only a few minutes. Gaara accompanied him. "Where's Kenta," Ren asked nervously.

"Shino is holding him. He was getting fussy and Shino believed the humming of his kikaichu could help. Turns out it did. He feel right asleep," Kabuto stated.

"Yes, he's in good hands and resting comfortably," Gaara said flatly. In truth he'd let Shino, Naruto, and even Kiba hold his son before he would allow Kabuto to. The man made Gaara uneasy and he couldn't help but feel like he could steal away everything he had worked for.

"Here's a new outfit for you," Kabuto said as he handed her a black outfit that consisted of a turtleneck and capris as well as underwear. "I'll leave you two to your shower," He muttered as he turned to leave the room.

Ren stared down at the clothes and was trying her best not to blush. She felt like Kabuto had possibly sprayed cologne all over the outfit just before handing it to her. This was going to be a bad situation. It was like being peed on by a dog in an attempt to be marked as theirs. Gaara had done similar to her once or twice but then she started wearing his clothes anyway so she almost always smelled like him. Now she was going to smell like Kabuto and she couldn't do a thing about it other than hope that her husband wouldn't be enraged by it. "I missed you so much," Ren whispered as she looked up at Gaara. It was the truth. This was the first moment they had had alone together and her vision began to blur with unshed tears.

Gaara rushed over to her and wrapped his arms around her. She rested her cheek against his chest and cried. "I missed you as well," Gaara told her. "It was like half of my soul was missing and I could not rest. I needed to find you to be whole again."

"Oh, Gaara," Ren whimpered as she snuggled into his chest, "I love you so much. I never expected any of this to happen. I just want to go home."

"Soon we will. It has been decided that the squad from Konohagakure will remain with us until we return to Sunagakure. They'll go home and inform their Hokage about what we've found out and I'll call a meeting with the other Kages. We'll have to decide what to do with Kabuto then but for now we just need to get him back to the Sand Village," Gaara stated as he ran his fingers through Ren's messy hair.

"Please don't let them kill him," Ren pleaded, "He's done terrible things but he's trying to make up for it. Without him I would not be alive right now. Our son would not be alive. I can't picture that. I don't want him to die when he saved our family."

Ren started to sob and all Gaara could do was hold her close. He could not deny that his wife had a point. He owed Kabuto for saving his family. He couldn't just allow the man to die after that could he? No. He couldn't. "I will do everything in my power to make sure that Kabuto lives," Gaara assured her.

XXXXXXXX

_"How long until she's able to go home," Gaara asked quietly as he sat in the living room with Kabuto, Ren, and Kenta. They had been waiting around for two days already because all Ren could make herself do was sleep, use the bathroom, and care for Kenta. The delivery had taken so much out of her that she was just completely exhausted and sore. _

_"I don't think she'll be ready for at least another week," Kabuto replied. He spared a glance at Ren who was napping with Kenta on her chest and her head resting on Gaara's lap. Gaara kept running his fingers through her hair._

_"I hate that you two talk about me like I'm not in the room," Ren muttered sleepily. She opened her eyes and looked up at Gaara then turned her head to stare at Kabuto. They both said their apologies and she said softly, "Its fine. I know that we need to get back to Sunagakure and I know this needs to be discussed." She looked down at the sleeping newborn and smiled. She just couldn't help it. She and Gaara had made the most perfect being in the entire world, at least that's what he was in her eyes. She took a deep breath and watched as Kenta scrunched up his face and rubbed his cheek against her breast. "I want to go home, I really, really do, but I'm too sore and too tired to make the journey right now. I promise we'll leave as soon as we can but I just need some time to heal. Having a baby isn't something even the most skilled medical ninja can fix damage from and I don't think I would want them to. This is part of becoming a mother and while it sucks, I will always treasure this time, these moments."_

_Gaara offered her a smile and nodded. He could agree with that statement. He would never allow himself to forget any of the memories being made. He loved his wife and his son deeply and would do anything for them. "We will remain here until you are ready," Gaara told her softly, "I will send messages to Temari and Kankuro as well as the other Kages requesting their presence in Sunagakure in three weeks' time. That should be enough time, won't it?"_

_"Yes," Ren said softly and closed her eyes again. She really was exhausted._

_"I will send another message to Sasuke," Kabuto stated._

_"Good. If he won't listen to you, I will write to Hinata. I am overdue for writing to her anyway," Ren said before she yawned. _

_Suddenly a flash filled the room and Ren's eyes shot open again. "Sorry, sorry," Ino said with a giggle, "You three just looked so cute I had to!" She was holding a camera and grinning._

_"Ino, if you take one more picture while I'm asleep I'm going to shove your camera where the sun does not shine," Ren said calmly. Ino gulped and backed away. "I'm sorry," Ren sighed out, "It's just that I'm so tired and don't want a flash in my face all the time. Thank you for taking pictures though, I want to be able to remember this moment forever."_

_Ino nodded and said, "Sure, no problem. I'll give warning next time. I guess I should go work on the report for Hokage-sama." Ino sulked out of the room._

_Gaara and Kabuto both sweat dropped. Ino had been running around with the camera taking pictures of Kenta left and right. Everyone was getting tired of being caught in the flash but the photography seemed to really make Ino happy, until someone pointed out that she was taking too many pictures. She would be sulking for half the day. _

That was two weeks ago. The journey back to Suna had been strenuous and tiresome. Kenta was passed around throughout the trip and as soon as they stepped into the desert he became very upset. Ren assumed it was because of the heat and had done her best to keep him as cool as possible. Ren herself was having difficulties making the journey. She had had to be carried a few times. Once, most to her disdain, Kiba carried her piggyback. It had been a terrifying experience for the Kazekage's wife. He was rough and didn't seem to want anything to do with her. She had found no comfort in holding onto the dog-nin for dear life.

None of that mattered now. They were able to see Suna's rock wall and everyone felt renewed determination to make it. The closer they got, the clearer the scene became. Every citizen of Sunagakure was standing all around the entry gate to welcome them home. The moment they came into view the crowd began cheering and crying happily because of the return of their Kazekage and his wife. "This feels familiar," Naruto muttered. He was the one supporting Ren at that moment. She was unable to walk another step so he was the one carrying her piggyback. She had her face pressed against the back of his neck and was sweating profusely.

"It does," Gaara stated flatly. He had Kenta held up to his chest with a blanket over the newborn. Kenta started to whimper at all the noise. "It's alright, Kenta," Gaara told his son, "We're home and it won't be this loud for long." Kenta seemed to accept that, despite only being two and a half weeks old, because he did not cry out.

"Man, they really love you here. This is the second time I've witnessed them welcome you home like this," Naruto announced.

"Yes but it is also a welcome for her," Gaara said as he looked at his wife. She looked so miserable and his best friend didn't look so well either. "It's a good thing we're almost there," Gaara commented.

"No kidding," Ino said, "my feet are killing me and I'm getting really tired of holding Kabuto's chain."

"I told you it was unnecessary to put cuffs on me to begin with," Kabuto countered with his left temple throbbing in irritation. The heat was getting to him as well.

"It was a precaution," Shino stated.

"Yeah, yeah. Let's just get in there already so we can all cool off," Kiba muttered. Akamaru barked in agreement.

The crowd surrounded the Kazekage and party as soon as they were close enough. Kankuro and Temari were the first to move. Temari threw her arms around Ren while crying tears of happiness. It didn't matter to Temari that by doing so she was also hugging Naruto, he just got caught in the crossfire in her eyes. "I'm so glad you're safe," Temari sobbed as Ren smiled at her.

"I've missed you guys so much," Ren whispered. She couldn't lift her head from Naruto's body though. She was too exhausted.

"Cant… Breathe…" Naruto said as best he could.

Temari released Ren and Naruto. "Sorry about that Naruto," Temari stated with a chuckle. "Where's the baby?" Naruto pointed to Gaara and Temari's eyes darted in the direction. She smiled. "Guess it's time to say 'hello' to him."

"So here's my nephew," Kankuro stated as he peeked under the blanket that was draped over Gaara's shoulder. "Y'know something kid, I may actually like you and that's saying something. I hate kids," Kankuro said with a small smile. Kenta's eyes opened and he stared at the scary man and began to cry. "Hey now, I'm your Uncle Kankuro. No need to cry. I'll have you wearing bunraku face paint in no time just like me," Kankuro said with a laugh. Kenta continued to cry and Gaara glared at his idiot brother.

"There, there," Temari said as she took Kenta from Gaara without asking. He was a little put off by the whole thing but said nothing as she rocked Kenta. "I'm your Aunt Temari. We're going to be best friends, you and I."

Every citizen was trying to sneak a peek at the little bundle Temari was now holding. "Alright everyone," Baki's voice echoed through the crowd, "We need to let the Kazekage return home. The baby doesn't need to be out in the sun right now."

"I assure you all that you will see him later on. For now, Baki is right. We have all been through a great deal and need our rest. I will make an announcement and have plenty of photos to share after my wife and son are in our home resting comfortably as well as our allies," Gaara said to his people.

They all parted to allow them to enter the village. Gaara lead them in and everyone else followed behind him. The crowed escorted them all the way to the Kazekage manor. Baki was the only one to enter the house with the group. The crowd broke up as soon as the door was closed and Gaara had bid them farewell for the time being. Naruto carefully let Ren slip down to the floor but she had to continue to hold onto him not to topple over. "I'm gonna help Ren to your room," Naruto told Gaara.

"I'll take her. It's been a long time since I've seen my sister-in-law and I'd like to talk to her a little," Kankuro said as he stepped up to Ren. She linked her arm with Kankuro's and allowed him to support her for the slow walk to the bedroom she hadn't seen in over three weeks. Whatever Kankuro wanted to talk about would be welcomed to her. She had missed him dearly.

"I need to go speak to everyone," Gaara said flatly.

"I will accompany you," Baki suggested.

"Thank you Baki," Gaara said with a nod. He turned his attention to Naruto, "Keep our guest under surveillance. His presence here is to remain quiet for now. I do not want the other Kages doing something that could damage our peace agreement."

Kabuto scoffed but kept his head down. He was wearing a black cloak with the hood up over his face. No one could see who he was and it seemed like the people of Sunagakure had been too excited to see the Kazekage's family to notice him. That was very fortunate for the situation but Kabuto felt pitiful. He was chained and walked around like a dog. He supposed he deserved this so he had said very little to complain.

"You got it," Naruto said while giving Gaara the thumbs up. "We're going to have to head back to Konohagakure tomorrow though. We've been away from home way too long and need to give a full report."

"Yeah. Hokage-sama will want to ask us a lot of questions when we get back. It's best not to put that off," Kiba grumbled.

"Very well, I will see you all when I return. Rest well," Gaara said before he and Baki left the house.

Temari, who was still holding Kenta, sat down on the nearest chair and uncovered the baby. "He's so adorable," she gushed.

Ino released Kabuto with a warning about escape then stood beside Temari. "He really is," Ino said as she leaned over to stare at him. "He's a real fighter too. I guess maybe that's why Gaara and Ren decided to name him Kenta, because he's strong."

Naruto, Kiba, Shino, and Kabuto found their own places to sit and Akamaru rested at Kiba's feet. Everyone was too tired for any fighting. Kabuto removed the hood of his cloak and leaned back. The air conditioning within the house was like heaven.

"Hey," Kankuro said as he stared at them all, "What the hell is he doing here?" Kankuro's eyes narrowed at the site of Kabuto.

"Easy there doll boy," Kiba grunted out.

"He is the one who saved Ren's life. Kazekage-sama believes he has use for him. We cannot go into details with you right now but I'm certain that Ren will explain everything to you after her nap," Shino stated calmly.

"Don't worry about it too much, Kankuro. We're here to keep an eye on him for the night then what Gaara does with him is up to Gaara," Naruto said.

"I can't believe this," Kankuro snarled.

Kenta began to cry quite loudly. Kiba and Akamaru howled out whines of their own, Naruto groaned, Ino frowned, Shino and Kabuto remained passive, and Temari hit Kankuro over the head. "Look what you went and did you idiot! Kenta is a baby and you're being too loud. Shut your trap for a change. Gaara will explain it to us later; and if he doesn't, Ren will. For now just chill out and go get a diaper, wipes, and a fresh blanket," Temari scolded Kankuro.

Kankuro glared at Kabuto one more time then disappeared to do as his older sister had told him to do. Arguing with his sister never got him anywhere but in the hospital.

XXXXXXXX

Ren and Gaara stood outside their bedroom door glaring at each other. "Gaara, this is important," Ren snapped at him. The lack of sleep that came with having a newborn was eating away at both of them. Kenta was sleeping for longer periods of time, yes, but their nights were still practically sleepless. Ren had dark circles under her eyes and everything was irritating to her. She didn't mean to be this way, she didn't like to be but Gaara had been practically ignoring her since they returned home. They both had lain down in the same bed to attempt sleep but their nights were not spent cuddling anymore. Ren was on the verge of a breakdown if she didn't say anything.

"I don't have time for this right now, Ren," Gaara stated flatly. He hadn't been showing much emotion at all. The lack of sleep was making him just as irritable and so to avoid hurting Ren's feelings he had been keeping to himself. He helped with Kenta, it was often he who got out of bed to retrieve the infant when he was hungry, but that seemed to do little to placate his wife. Gaara did not give Ren time to say anything before he turned and began walking away. He had a meeting with the other Kages that he could not be late for.

"You've been avoiding me since we got back," Ren told him as she followed him down the hall. She spared a backwards glance at their bedroom door and said a silent prayer to Kami that Kenta would remain asleep.

"I was away from the village far too long looking for you and have had a lot to do. I have a duty to this village that must be fulfilled," Gaara replied. It wasn't a lie. He had spent most of his time buried under a mountain of paperwork as well as piecing together every ounce of evidence he would require for this meeting. He didn't even glance back at her. He knew she was following him and he had half a mind to run off. She was still too sore to run after him and even if she could she would run into Kabuto's barrier, he could slip away so easily. The reason he didn't was because he loved his wife and did not want to deal with her wrath if he did escape.

"I didn't ask to be kidnapped! You have a duty to me as well, Gaara," Ren countered. She was closing in on him and was sure she could get in front of him and keep him from walking out the door. She needed to. He needed to hear what she had to say.

"I am aware of that," Gaara said as he stopped and turned to face his furious wife. She hadn't raised her voice yet but he knew it was inevitable. The best way to deal with this was to just get it over with. He would let her say her piece and then go on to his meeting. He hoped she wouldn't take too long.

"If you are aware then why are you ignoring me? Did I do something wrong? I know I've been moody but that doesn't mean you should ignore that I'm right here trying to get you to notice me," Ren's voice had turned from hostile to insecure in less than a second. She wrapped her arms around her chest to try to comfort herself. She really just wanted to know what was going on in Gaara's mind. Her eyes had been on him since they both left the bedroom but now she couldn't hold his gaze. She stared at the floor and was fighting tears. Did her husband not want to be around her anymore? Ren just couldn't understand it.

"I'm not intentionally ignoring you," he lied, "I am just very busy. Please try to understand, Ren." Gaara sighed heavily then pressed on, "You haven't done anything wrong. Things will improve after this meeting is over and there is a plan in motion. This situation with the new Otogakure uprising is far bigger than us, Ren. I have to be sure that our people are safe and cared for as well. I'm running late. I'll see you tonight."

Gaara left so fast that Ren had barely been able to look up and see him turn the corner. She hung her head low and let out a weak sob that she had been holding in. Sometimes she really hated that Gaara was the Fifth Kazekage. She just wanted him to pay attention to her, maybe tell her she's still pretty. She really didn't feel pretty. Ren was certain that Matsuri and Sari would never allow themselves to look so unattractive. Ren let out another sob and covered her face with her hands. She didn't want to remember the dream she had had just before she started having contractions but it kept replaying in her head. The more she tried to ignore it, the worse the feeling of dread and desperation became. She just needed Gaara to let her know he loved her still but he was too busy to do that.

Ren felt two strong hands on her shoulders and looked up with tears pouring down her cheeks. Kabuto was looking at her like she was the most confusing game of Go he had ever seen. She stared at him blankly as she tried to get control of her emotions. She just couldn't do it. She dropped her gaze from him and down to her wrists. Those stupid seals were still there and she hated them. She was suddenly so angry. She heard Kabuto's voice but she didn't listen to it right away. Her whole body began to shake as she felt her anger grow. "Ren," Kabuto's voice cut through her thoughts.

"Huh," Ren asked as she raised her eyes to look at him. His hands were still firmly on her shoulders and the concern on his face was growing deeper by the second. It took her a short time to realize that he had been talking to her and she had missed it. "Gomen, I wasn't listening," She whimpered. She had meant for her voice to come out as fine, flat and unfeeling, but it hadn't. It had betrayed her.

"I asked if you're alright," Kabuto said gently. He reached up and cupped her cheeks to brush away her tears. "You're far too beautiful to be crying like this," he muttered.

Ren took a step back. She had wanted to hear that, she really had, but he was not who she had wanted to hear it from. "I'm fine, Kabuto," Ren whispered. She turned to head back to her bedroom. "Thank you," She said over her shoulder. Kabuto didn't follow her and he didn't say anything to her. She heard his footsteps walking in the opposite direction of hers. It brought little comfort, knowing he would be within fifteen meters of her.

It didn't even register to Ren just how far down the hall she had chased Gaara. Kenta was stirring from his sleep when Ren entered the bedroom. She walked over to his bassinet and waited for him to open his eyes. Those beautiful white eyes with a blue-green tint stared up at her. He didn't cry, he didn't whine. Kenta smiled up at her with his biggest toothless smile. "I'm happy to see you too," Ren whispered as she lifted him up. His head jerked slightly and he let out a big yawn.

"Still sleepy I see," Temari stated from the doorway. Everyone was able to sneak up on her lately. It put Ren even more on edge. Temari stepped into the room and closed the door. "Kabuto asked me to check on you, not that I wouldn't have anyways. Are you okay? I know you and Gaara aren't really getting any sleep and I'm worried about you. He's so busy working and you barely talk to anyone other than Kenta. Is everything okay with you?"

Ren kissed Kenta's head and sat down in one of the armchairs in the room. She pulled a pillow onto her lap and rested Kenta on it. "No," Ren said softly, "I'm really not okay. Tem, I don't know what to do. I know that this meeting with the Kages is important but shouldn't I be important too? He hasn't held me since we left Takigakure. I'm right here and I need him to let me know he loves me but he doesn't do that. I can't even get enough time with him to tell him how I feel."

Temari nodded and turned her head away to give time to let Ren unbutton her top and let Kenta latch onto her breast. "I understand that. I would be really frustrated if I went through what you did and Shikamaru didn't give me the time of day. He may say I'm troublesome but he's always there for me no matter what. Gaara will come around; I know he will. He loves you so much and I'll try to talk to him about showing it," Temari said gently. Ren opened her mouth to object but Temari held up her hand to halt the words. "No," she said with a chuckle, "He's my little brother, it's my job to make him aware when he's in the wrong. I do the same thing to Kankuro, it just doesn't always do a whole lot of good with him."

Ren could only nod. She had been looking at Temari but shifted her attention to Kenta. He was sucking away on her breast while he stared up at her with his bright eyes. "I suppose it couldn't hurt for you to talk to him. Maybe he will listen to you," Ren said with a sigh. She would just have to put her faith in her sister-in-law. "Thank you, Tem-nee," Ren said quietly.

XXXXXXXX

"Man you're late," Kankuro grumbled as soon as he caught sight of Gaara. He rushed up to his younger brother and stared at him. "Was it the kid again? Man he's a real pain in the neck. I take back what I said you know… I hate kids. All kids. He's no exception," Kankuro scowled. Kankuro had been sleeping just as little as Ren and Gaara. He was constantly making it a point to say he disliked Kenta. Dark circles under the eyes did not suit Kankuro at all. He was feeling like he'd never be able to pick up girls if he continued to be so exhausted. It put a real damper on his life.

"Shut up, Kankuro. Today it was Ren who slowed me down," Gaara muttered. "She feels that I am avoiding her and attempted to corner me. I'll make it up to her later but for now I must get to this meeting," Gaara stated flatly as he walked faster to the meeting room.

Kankuro trailed behind him at the same pace. "Y'know, Gaara, she may have a point. You've been so busy being Kazekage that you don't seem to have much time for her." Kankuro had to duck to avoid being hit with a wave of sand. "Hey! I was just being honest," Kankuro shouted as he tried to pacify his brother.

"Just shut up," Gaara stated again as his sand returned to the gourd on his hip. Gaara opened the door to the room where all four other Kages sat and took a deep breath before stepping inside. The room was filled with small arguments that stopped when Gaara came into view. "As you all know, this is not a meeting without purpose," Gaara began as he removed his hat and sat down between Kakashi and Chojuro. All Kages nodded and so he continued, "As I made you all aware when I called you here, my wife was kidnapped by three of my own people. That does not involve you at all, however the person who rescued her from them does. Ren was rescued by Yakushi Kabuto."

Gaara was forced to pause as all but two Kages gasped. "You're joking," Chojuro, The Sixth Mizukage, stated.

"I'm afraid he's not," Kakashi said in his aloof manner, "I sent a team to assist the Kazekage and their reports confirm it. Kabuto is here within Sunagakure awaiting our judgement."

"This is unbelievable," Kurotsuchi, The Fourth Tsuchikage, remarked.

"Why is he here," Darui, The Fifth Raikage, asked.

"He is here because of the information he has brought to light," Kakashi answered for Gaara.

Gaara nodded to Kakashi. He was capable of speaking for himself but this was Kakashi's way of showing he agreed with Gaara's decision.

"And what would that be," Kurotsuchi questioned.

Gaara sighed outwardly and the small chatter that had been going on within the room stopped. "While out searching for my wife we came across rogue ninja who claimed to be members of a new and uprising Otogakure. My interrogation team, as well as the Hokage's, has questioned them. I'm willing to hand them over to each of you for the same purpose if you find our interrogation reports, which you have in front of you, unsatisfactory."

"What we have learned is that test subjects have been being rounded up. The true leader is unknown and from what we could tell there may not even be a set one yet," Kakashi continued.

"According to Kabuto, they are trying to continue Orochimaru's research and will be building their own army once again. My wife is a possible target," Gaara said. He rubbed the kanji on his forehead and stared at his large hat that rested on the table.

"What could they possibly want with your wife," Chojuro questioned.

"Well, you see," Kakashi said with a small, nervous laugh, "It turns out that Orochimaru started tests on her without anyone knowing until Gaara took the seat of Kazekage."

"What kind of tests," Kurotsuchi asked with a glare towards the Fifth Kazekage.

Gaara stared at her stoically and replied, "He had implanted a chemical within her body that made it extremely painful for her to use her kekkei genkai. He knew every time she used it. He was planning for her to seek him out in order to use her for a future vessel."

"But Orochimaru wanted Sasuke's body as his vessel," Darui commented.

"This would have been a future vessel. He did not want Ren to be his vessel, he wanted her to mother it," Kakashi stated.

The room went silent. Chojuro was the first to recover. He asked the question that was on everyone's mind, "What would be so special about a child your wife would bear?"

Gaara fought himself not to show any emotion. Everything was special about Kenta. It didn't dawn on Gaara that the other Kages, other than Kakashi, were unaware that the baby had even been born yet. Kakashi opened his mouth to respond but the door to the room opened. Kabuto entered the room, followed by Ren who was holding Kenta. She kept her eyes down and Kabuto placed copies of his files in front of each of the Kages. "Sorry to interrupt but I did promise I would bring these to you as soon as they were finished," Kabuto told Gaara.

All eyes remained on Kabuto and the whole room was suddenly filled with killer intent. Kabuto remained unmoving and Ren moved to stand beside him. She kept her eyes on the floor and took a deep breath. Kenta was wiggling and fussing quietly as the aura in the room grew tenser. "Kabuto," Kakashi stated a glare.

"Hello Hatake Kakashi," Kabuto said with a genuine smile, "It sure has been a while."

"Yes it has," Kakashi stated. His fingers were twitching as he resisted the urge to pull out a kunai.

Ren stepped in front of Kabuto, doing her best to use her small body to block Kabuto's. "I believe the folders in front of you are far more important than trying to decide how you will kill my protector," Ren stated flatly.

Her voice seemed so emotionless that it caught Gaara off guard. He noticed she still hadn't looked up. "Ren," Gaara called out to her calmly. She slowly raised her head to look at him. Audible gasps echoed through the room again. Her white eyes scanned the people in the room. Without another word said between the two, Gaara stood and Ren took a few steps to stand beside her husband. Gaara wrapped his arm around her waist and stared down at Kenta. He was still whining and had big tears forming in his eyes. Gaara smiled ever so slightly and wiped them away. "I would like for you all to meet my wife, Ren, and my son, Kenta," Gaara stated with a hint of pride in his voice.

All Kages said in unison, "Nice to meet you."

Ren bowed in respect to the Kages, careful not to drop or hurt Kenta as she did so. This hadn't gone at all how she had expected. She was supposed to just come in here with Kabuto and let him drop off the files then they would leave. She wasn't expecting to be introduced or the amount of tension that was within the room. "It is an honor to meet you all," Ren said stoically.

"You know, you remind me a lot of Hyuga Neji," Kakashi stated.

Ren tensed up slightly. "He was my cousin," Ren lied without thought. It would always remain a secret to Konohagakure that Hizashi had a child other than Neji. It would have been better for Hiashi's reputation to speak the truth but he had sacrificed some of his pride and honor to protect Ren and for that she would be grateful to him always. She would not ruin what he had worked so hard to do by slipping up.

"I see," Kakashi said with an eye smile.

The other Kages had already been searching through the files from the moment that Ren straightened herself up. She turned her focus to Kabuto who gave her a nod. Kakashi tensed up, having been the one to see the interaction. "Please excuse us," Ren said softly, a small trace of her kindness seeping into her attempt at another stoic response, "I have work to do of my own."

The Kages all looked up at her and nodded. Gaara gave Kenta one more smile and told his wife, "I'll see you as soon as I've finished up here." Ren nodded and Gaara watched her leave the room with Kabuto close behind her. He hated that she could never go too far from Kabuto but Gaara could agree that it would keep anyone from being able to take her away again. He just wished Kabuto would allow such a seal to bind her to him. Kabuto always seemed far too interested in Ren for his liking.

"According to this, Orochimaru was wanting to use your wife simply because she was not a branded Hyuga. I cannot imagine that two kekkei genkais would be possible to exist together. A child surely would have only one or neither," Kurotsuchi stated.

"That's what I was thinking too," Darui stated.

"Why wouldn't they be able to blend? It is believed that the Sharingan and the Byakugan are sibling dojutsus, right? Who's to say they couldn't combine or something. Clearly Orochimaru believed it was possible. He obviously was willing to continue trying until he got his desired result as well," Chojuro stated.

"What do we do about Kabuto," Kakashi asked suddenly. He now had all eyes on him.

"We kill the bastard," Kurotsuchi stated.

"We can't kill him, he may be able to help us," Darui pointed out.

"As much as I hate to agree, Darui is correct. He was the right-hand man of Orochimaru. He would know what Orochimaru's plans were. If this new Otogakure is truly uprising we need someone who knows the old plans well," Kakashi said.

"What if he betrays us," Chojuro asked.

"Then I will kill him myself," Gaara stated bluntly. Everyone turned to the Kazekage. Small particles of sand were swirling around him. He was so enraged with Kabuto that he hadn't even noticed he was doing it. He cleared his throat and the sand returned to his gourd. "I apologize. I am unpleased to have him here as well but he is bound to my wife by a sealing jutsu that I cannot break. If he does anything to put our alliance in jeopardy I will rob him of his existence within this world."

"If something does happen, we're holding you responsible then," Kurotsuchi grunted.

"Now what do we do about this new Otogakure," Darui asked.

XXXXXXXX

Ren walked down the hallway alone. She had left Kenta with Temari and Baki called Kabuto away into one of the libraries. Ren, if she calculated the range well enough, could make it out the back door of her home and enjoy the Suna sun for a little while. She really just wanted some fresh air. Everything was so heavy around her lately. She felt lonely and would have actually gone searching for Kankuro, but she knew he was in the meeting with Gaara. He was there for the same purpose that Yamato was. They were to guard their Kages in case something went wrong. Even in times of peace meetings between the five nations felt uneasy.

Ren sighed and pushed the door open. The sun's rays instantly greeted her. She smiled slightly and stepped outside. Once the door was closed she stepped down the stairs until she was met with the invisible barrier. She reached her hand up and touched it. It wasn't painful to touch, it was just there, blocking her way and keeping her caged. She frowned and walked back to the steps to sit down. The door opened behind her and a woman with brown eyes and purple hair that was twisted into a spikey up-do appeared. "Ah there you are. Ren right," The woman asked as she closed the door and made herself comfortable next to Ren.

"Y-yes. Who are you," Ren asked nervously. She didn't know this woman and with everything that she'd been through recently she couldn't help but be on her guard. Her fingers traced the kunai hidden against her left thigh.

"The name's Mitarashi Anko. I'm here with Hatake Kakashi and Yamato. Apparently the Kages agreed to only having one guard in the meeting so I've been waiting around bored. I just ran into Temari. She said she's watching over your little boy while you get some fresh air. I thought I'd come check you out, see if the rumors about you from the Leaf Village are true," Anko stated with a smirk.

It sent chills down Ren's spine and she closed her eyes, trying to focus on absorbing more of the sun's rays. She took a deep breath and nodded. "I just needed a little time to myself. Ever since I was kidnapped, I've not gotten a moment to myself really." She should have asked what they were saying about her in the Leaf but decided against it. She could find out later when she attended her mother's wedding.

"Well, with a cutie like your kid, I wouldn't want any alone time," Anko chuckled. Ren opened her eyes to look at the woman. She was insane or something. "Anyways, what's it like being married to someone like Gaara? He's usually pretty uncaring isn't he? Doesn't show his emotions well or something like that. Did you know he used to be a bloodthirsty killer?"

Ren frowned at Anko and crossed her arms over her chest. "I love my husband and he loves me. What someone was in the past doesn't mean they can't be different now. I don't think you know much about me or you would know that I was one of those people who used to fear him a little. Kankuro was my best friend but I always felt uneasy coming to this house. I was fortunate enough to never run into Gaara before the incident with The Leaf and I do know he regrets his actions. Gaara is a kind man with a good heart. He's everything to me," Ren said softly.

Anko opened her mouth to talk but the door opened and both women's eyes darted to it. Kabuto appeared in the doorway. "Ah, Ren, there you are," He said calmly. Ren was so happy to see him that she smiled a little.

Anko rushed to her feet and pulled out a kunai in one swift movement. "What the hell are you doing here? Who the hell let you out of your cage," Anko shouted.

Ren was on her feet as soon as she saw Anko reach for her kunai. Ren was slower than she had been before but she moved in front of Kabuto as fast as she could. She held her arms outstretched from her body and stated, "Kabuto is under the protection of the Fifth Kazekage for his service to the Shinobi Alliance. How he is treated is up to me."

Anko stared at Ren then Kabuto then back to Ren. Confusion was etched all over her face. "What the hell are you talking about? He's a traitor!"

"I'm sure your Hokage can explain the situation to you when this meeting is over. I am uncomfortable speaking for my husband because I am not in that room right now." Ren's quiet voice had come out stronger than she expected. It made her feel better. She felt like she was picking fights with all kinds of important people today but Kabuto had saved her life, she couldn't sit idly by and let people tear him to shreds.

Kabuto smirked from behind Ren and Anko growled. "Watch your back, Kabuto," Anko snarled.

Ren glanced at Kabuto and asked, "What did you need me for?"

The two of them were now ignoring Anko, much to the snake mistress' dislike. "I wanted to let you know that Gaara-sama's meeting is over. According to Baki-san, they have come up with a plan. I've been asked to bring you back to your room where he is waiting for you," Kabuto told her kindly.

"Very well," Ren said before she turned to Anko, "It was a pleasure meeting you Mitarashi-san. Please enjoy your stay in Sunagakure." With that Ren and Kabuto disappeared back inside the house leaving Anko wondering what the hell she had just witnessed.

XXXXXXXX

Ren said goodbye to Kabuto and hurried into her bedroom to find Gaara curled up on the bed with Kenta. No matter how upset she was with Gaara, the sight brought a smile to her face. Two crimson heads rested nose to nose, both eyes closed and light snores coming from both of them. Ren giggled a little to herself and covered her mouth with her hand to stifle the sound. Despite her best efforts Gaara's eyes opened and he looked around the room sleepily. "Hey," Ren said quietly as she walked over to the bed and sat beside them.

"Hey," Gaara replied as he carefully sat up. He glanced down at Kenta and smiled. "We really made something beautiful didn't we," He asked absentmindedly.

"Yeah we did," Ren said as she ran her fingers through her son's hair. "I have the feeling he's really going to be a handful when he's older. I can see it now. He'll have all kinds of little fan girls like his father, the ability to see chakra, and he'll be killer with sand."

Gaara chuckled a little and brushed his fingers through Ren's hair. "Let's hope he takes after you far more than he does me," Gaara muttered.

"Gaara," Ren inhaled sharply. She frowned at him and placed her hand on his then leaned her head against it. She fought the urge to close her eyes and sink into the pleasure of him touching her. They had more important things to talk about but that didn't change how much she had missed his touch. "We will just have to make sure he knows he's loved always. Then he won't have any of our problems at all," Ren said softly. She looked into his eyes and felt her heart skip a beat. This man was everything to her. "How did the Kage meeting go," She asked in a whisper. She didn't want to talk about it but the actions taken would affect her village, her friends, and her family.

"We have decided to destroy every hideout as an alliance. The Tsuchikage, Kurotsuchi, will be the first to deal with the hideout. The men we captured revealed the hideout to us and she will be commanding two shinobi from each village in the destruction and raiding of it. We will do similar for all that turn up in the Land of Wind, Kakashi will do the same for the Land of Fire, and so on. We will hopefully destroy the threat before it becomes a real one. I will be sending Isago and Sari for the mission in the Land of Earth. We will all be in constant contact and I already have Kabuto marking a map of every hideout Orochimaru ever used. It is unlikely that they would be foolish enough to use those places as a base but we will be thorough none the less," Gaara stated flatly.

"So we're basically owls praying on snakes," Ren asked.

"In a sense. An owl will capture small snakes but must also be weary of the venomous ones. We cannot afford to be overly cautious with this. We cannot leave any possibilities. It was so certain that after the war, we would all have a long era of peace. The fact that there are people who are so against it troubles me," Gaara muttered.

"Some creatures thrive in chaos," Ren replied quietly. She really hated saying that, but it was the truth.

"Yes, that much is true. It is our duty as shinobi to protect our villages and our lands. We all have the same goal here and it will work out. This plan, while it's not completely solid, should lead us in the right direction at least," Gaara stated. He pulled his hand from Ren's and climbed off the bed. Ren watched him, saddened by the lack of contact. He carefully picked up Kenta whose eyes opened for only a second before they drooped back closed. "Goodnight, Kenta," Gaara said as he placed his son in his crib.

Ren got dressed for bed while Gaara tucked in Kenta. She kept her eyes on Gaara's back and when she was in her nightgown wrapped her arms around herself. She just wanted Gaara to touch her, to hold her, to love her. She knew he was so busy and didn't want to keep him from his duties but she was feeling so lonely. Kabuto, Kankuro, Temari, and even Baki were always around her but it was not the same. Gaara was her husband and the void she felt in her heart was unable to be filled with friends.

Gaara turned to see Ren holding herself and frowned slightly. She was looking in his direction but her eyes were glazed over. It was like she was staring right through him. He sighed internally and asked, "Do you fear me?"

"Wh-what," She asked as she snapped out of her zone.

"Do you fear me," He repeated. He knew she did not but it was his attempt to open up to her more.

"I just still don't know you so well," Ren replied without thought.

"You can ask me anything," He stated. He was trying to keep the emotion out of his voice but it still seeped through. He was a little happier and was simply teasing her.

"Why are you pushing me away," She asked sullenly.

He smiled weakly and approached her slowly. She didn't move. When he was right in front of her, he did something he hadn't in a while — he wrapped his arms around her and buried his nose into her hair. She still smelled of apple blossoms, lavender, and the desert. He lost himself in her scent. Why had he allowed himself to be so distant? He knew most of it involved his obligations to the village but why else? She was in pain and he was uncertain he would be able to hold himself back. He wanted to make her feel loved but couldn't make love to her. She had been so moody, so had he, and so getting too close felt like a death sentence. No. He would not distance himself anymore and he would never make her go through this pain again. Kenta would carry on the Sabaku name and that was enough for him. The pain he had witnessed her go through was something he would never, ever ask her to do again.

Ren's eyes widened as soon as Gaara embraced her. She freed her arms from her body and wrapped them around his torso. She could feel him nuzzling his nose into her hair and she nearly cried. Had he missed her like she missed him? She hid her face in his strong chest. Sand, aloe, and sweat filled her nostrils and she smiled through tears. She couldn't help it. She was so happy to be in his arms that the tears were flowing freely on their own. Why hadn't he answered her though? He always answered her. "Oh Gaara," She murmured against his chest, "Please don't close me out. Please just love me," She pleaded.

Gaara closed his eyes and took a deep breath. "I do love you," he told her gently, "I'm sorry. I have just been so busy. It's no excuse. I owe you a date don't I? Just us two."

"And Kabuto," Ren said with a sigh, "I can't go more than fifteen meters away from him."

"I'll talk to him," Gaara promised.

Ren nodded. She really hoped he could convince Kabuto to release the seals from her wrists. She would give almost anything to be free of them. It wasn't that she didn't like Kabuto, he was her friend, but she didn't want to be tied to him. She was a bird who had avoided the cage known as the Hyuga Seal… She didn't want to be locked in this cage of Kabuto's any longer.

* * *

**Ren Note:** This one was difficult for RaRa and I... My real life was thrown upside down and the shogi board still isn't set back up. It's frustrating, not knowing what is going to happen in your life, but that's how the cookie crumbles I guess. We're late... very, very late... but still working hard. This chapter is shorter than the others have been. It's brought to my attention that 30-40 pages in word is not a chapter, it's a short story in itself... so this will probably be around the length aimed for. Chapter 12 will be a continuation of everything that this chapter was supposed to hold. I hope no one is too mad at me for the wait and Gaara and Ren fighting. It's important... isn't it? It makes them seem more real. I mean... real couples fight but they work through that... Which Gaara and Ren are trying to do. If nothing else has come from my real life experience, I have learned this: If it's worth keeping you'll fight for it. You won't go out of your way to hurt the other person and you'll learn to improve yourself so that what you put into the relationship is what you get back. You don't get married to make yourself happy, you marry for the other person. Spend your time trying to make him/her happy and your own happiness will come from that. I'm sure that was a little deep for some of you and I'm sorry for all the notes... but I just wanted to share that piece of advice with you all. Next chapter will be up asap... whenever that will be... I've also started posting another story involving Ren... it'll have updates every week or two... but it's about half finished now already so I don't know if that will be necessary. I needed to take my mind off of all the b.s. that was going on so I decided to write that one. It's title's currently pending. I'd love suggestions. Go check it out! Oh... and just so you all know, I love you. Thank you for being so loyal to me. Have a great day!


	13. Ch 12: Who Said Love Is Easy?

**Ren Note:** I feel like it's been an eternity since I've posted in here... Real life really blows sometimes doesn't it? I've decided to never, ever leave you guys in a situation like this (after this story) again. I've been writing a NejiRen fic called _Its a Love-Hate Thing_ and the way I did that seemed to go pretty well. I didn't post until I have four chapters of it wrote (or at least almost) I had a back log so if I ran into a week where I couldn't write I didn't fail to update. I'll be working on a requested fanfic next for **Miko Hayashi **but after that we move into the SasuHina domain... and after that... Who knows... maybe NaruIno? Let me know what of the pairs I have in this fanfic that you'd like to read about. I know they're all crack-ships so they kind of need an explanation as to 'How they came to be' I suppose. There's a lemon in this chapter. As usual I'll give y'all a lemon alert that you can skip over if it doesn't meet your fancy. I think I'm done with lemons for a while though. This story is far deeper than sex and I was really having a hard time finding the desire to even write this one. I hope it's not too crappy. Reviews are always loved and welcomed! Enjoy~

Chapter Twelve:

Gaara, Ren, Kabuto, and Kankuro (holding Kenta) stood in the foyer of the Kazekage mansion. Gaara wore his Kazekage robes, Ren wore a long sleeve dress that matched it, and Kabuto wore a black suit. They were dressed up nicely for Gaara and Ren's much needed date. "If you need us you know where we'll be right," Ren asked Kankuro as she stared at him. Her nerves were all over the place. This was the first time she would be away from Kenta, _ever_. She knew this was for the good of her marriage but why had they decided on her brother-in-law to be their sitter? Why, oh why did Temari have to be out of the village right now?

"Of course. I know this is the first time you've left Kenta but I got this. Don't worry your pretty little head. I love this kid," Kankuro said as he planted a small peck on the top of Kenta's red head while grinning. Kankuro had been so bipolar about his feelings for Kenta that Ren just wasn't sure. For the first two days when Kenta was home, he loved him; for the next month and a half he hated him, and now that Kenta was two and a half months old he was back to saying he loves him. Ren was very confused about it. They were seriously going to leave her little prince with this guy, never mind that he was a dear friend? Ren glanced at Gaara begging him in her mind to reconsider.

"I have Baki coming over in ten minutes to assist him," Gaara stated when he felt his wife's discomfort. He was on edge about these arrangements as well. He didn't trust his brother to watch his son without anyone around. Kankuro was great when Gaara or Ren's eyes were on him but who knew how the idiot would be away from them. Gaara could see Kankuro using him to try to pick up women or equally stupid things. He did not want to come home to find Kenta's face painted like Kankuro's either. He never wanted to see his son in bunraku face paint. He refused to even imagine that.

All eyes turned to Gaara. He was feeling pretty proud of himself but it didn't show on his blank face. Baki had practically raised him and would be a great asset for Kankuro's babysitting duties. Kabuto looked amused by this new revelation. Ren looked terrified. Kankuro was disappointed. _"So much for proving myself tonight," _Kankuro thought to himself. "Well, I'll be okay until Baki gets here. You should go on to the restaurant. Your reservation is in ten minutes. You're going to be late if you don't get a move on," Kankuro said as he pointed to the door with his free arm.

Everyone knew he was right. They were going to be late. Ren kissed Kenta's forehead and whispered in his ear, "Be a good boy for Uncle Kanky. I'll see you in just a little bit." Kenta and Ren kept eye contact and the boy smiled at his mother. His smile made Ren feel so much better but her anxiety remained. He was too young to be able to actually control his smiles and Ren knew it was probably just gas, but she found comfort in it nonetheless. Gaara ruffled Kenta's hair and nodded to his brother. Kabuto waved.

Kankuro gently raised Kenta's little hand and waved it. "Say bye-bye to kaa-san and tou-san," the puppet master told his beloved nephew in the same voice he always used with Kenta. It was so clear he was talking to a baby and it was the type of coo-like speech you would never expect from Sabaku Kankuro.

"See you later, Kankuro and Kenta. Behave yourselves," Ren told them as sweetly as she could. She felt strong fingers wrap around her arm gently and Gaara practically dragged her out the door when it became clear she wasn't going to move on her own.

The walk to the restaurant was quick but still left Kabuto feeling like a third wheel. The only reason why he even agreed to go on their date was because Ren had asked. He was having a difficult time removing the seal from the bracelets on her wrists. It wasn't like a normal seal where all you have to do is smear your blood on it and it opens. This one requires hand signs, blood, and a special ointment that Suna was in short supply of ingredients for. Gaara had ordered the things they couldn't get from the greenhouses, as well as the items needed to recreate the seal for himself. It would still be a couple of weeks before those items arrived. Kabuto nearly sighed at the thought. He didn't like the idea of Ren being sealed to Gaara. As the Kazekage, he would be the one in the front of any battles. Ren did not need to be there too. Kabuto planned to try and convince Gaara otherwise. That would be no easy task. The Kazekage radiated of killer intent anytime Kabuto mentioned anything involving Ren.

Gaara and Ren were seated at a table in the back of the restaurant and Kabuto was seated as far away as he could be. The place wasn't very crowded and seemed to continue Suna's 'sand' theme. Kabuto knew that's what they had at the ready but he was quite tired of all the golden sand and no colors. aside from the fabrics. As a Leaf shinobi he grew up with plants and animals everywhere but few could be found in the desert. He found he didn't like the desert too much but he was forced to stay here. He wouldn't have left even if he weren't. Ren needed him, whether she knew it or not, and that was enough to make him want to stay. It was also, apparently, enough for him to sit in a restaurant he had no interest in being in and dine alone with no one to talk to but the overly friendly waitress that seemed all too eager to fulfil his every wish; in regards to the menu that is.

Gaara sat across from Ren and stared at his menu. He could feel Ren's eyes on him and he internally sighed. She had been looking at him with that blank, emotionless gaze since he pried her out of the house. "What's wrong," he asked without looking up. This place was kind of expensive, not that he couldn't afford it. He nearly grimaced at the price of the beef dishes. He would have to find a way to remedy that. Perhaps he could set up some sort of cattle farm like the greenhouses. He'd think on it later. He glanced up to see Ren frowning at him. "Nani?"

She sighed and looked down. He had ignored her, again. "I said 'Thank you for doing this for me' and 'I hope Kankuro's doing okay with Kenta' but you didn't even hear me. What's on your mind now, Gaara?" Her tone wasn't as kind as she had meant for it to be but she couldn't help it. He was hitting her self-esteem pretty hard. She knew she wasn't as pretty as she used to be. She was still all stretched out from having Kenta and, no matter what Temari said, she was never going to get that figure back. She hadn't realized she wasn't pretty or interesting enough to hold her husband's attention though. That stung. It _really_ stung, to the point she had to fight the urge to cry.

"You're welcome and I'm sure they are doing fine. I'm sorry. I was just staring at the prices trying to figure out how I can improve them. Not everyone can afford the things on this menu," Gaara stated. He was oblivious to his wife's internally battle with her emotions. He had heard her less than kind tone but took no note of it. He had heard that same tone so many times in the past two months he felt almost immune to it.

Ren sighed again and looked up at Gaara. That had been so far from what she had hoped to hear from him. Why couldn't he be distracted thinking about her or their son? Why did Gaara have to be so busy with work that he was missing what was right in front of him? "Do you have to work all the time? Can't we just enjoy being together like we did before Kenta was born? I miss sitting outside and watching the stars with you or sneaking into your office when no one was watching and staying there the whole day. It was fun wasn't it," She asked softly. If he wouldn't give her the time of day right now, she was going to make damn sure he remembered when he did. Maybe that would bring him to want to experience that again, Kami knew she wanted to.

Gaara suddenly realized they hadn't done anything like that since she was kidnapped. He blinked twice then nodded. He hadn't done anything at all with Ren. She was his wife and the mother of his son. He had knew he was ignoring her, putting Sunagakure first as always, but he had been able to love her to his fullest and take care of Sunagakure at the same time before. Why couldn't he find the balance now? Gaara's eyes shifted to gaze around the restaurant until he found the main source of his restless state. "It was fun but now you have Kabuto stuck to you all the time. It's not like you could sneak into the office now and Kabuto wouldn't need to be there. It's just for a few more weeks though, then I'll have you sealed to me."

Ren's frown grew and she looked down again. Being sealed to Gaara wouldn't be much different than being sealed to Kabuto. She would remain a bird trapped in a cage. She would have to stick to him like glue and with his status as Kazekage that would be very difficult. "What if I don't want to be sealed to anyone? I love you but I don't want to have to follow you around everywhere," She said weakly.

"What about Kankuro," Gaara asked without much thought on the matter. He was trying to come up with a more appealing alternative. Surely there was someone that could protect her she would be happier being sealed to. He was hurt that she didn't want that from him but he also was aware that as the Kazekage he would possibly be putting her in even more danger. He could accept that he couldn't do that; his son needed at least one parent.

"Kankuro goes on missions and when he's not on missions he's training or trying to pick up women. I somehow feel that I would 'cramp his style' or something to that effect. Would you seriously want me tied to your brother," Ren asked. Gaara sighed and shook his head. No, he definitely did not. He thought of someone else and was about to speak but Ren held up her hand to halt his words. "Not her either. Temari is getting married soon. I can't live in Konoha just to be tied to her. Hell, Gaara, she's there right now making plans. Please try to understand, Gaara. I feel like a dog on a leash. I want to be able to sneak into your office when no one is looking and distract you from your paperwork, and I want to be able to go out shopping and slip into any store I want without being questioned about why."

Gaara nodded and ran his fingers through his crimson hair. "Alright, I understand your point. Promise me you won't go out of Sunagakure without another person, one that we trust, alright? I don't want you kidnapped again."

Ren's breath hitched in her throat. Did he see her as incompetent? She had been very heavily pregnant when Iwao got the better of her. She was back to her old self, mostly now. She could handle herself. She knew she could. Why did he doubt her? It didn't matter. She knew to catch the bone when thrown her way. "That won't happen again… but alright. I promise. I won't leave village without you, Kabuto, Kankuro, Baki, or Temari with me. Does that make you happier?"

"Mostly," Gaara admitted, "Though I'm not sure about Kabuto."

"Gaara," Ren sighed out his name softly. She rubbed her forehead with her palm as if to relieve a headache. "He's not going to hurt me. If he were going to do that he wouldn't have saved me when he found me. I understand why you don't trust him, it took me a while too, but he does mean well. That's all I have to say on it though. Can we please, _please_ talk about something else? I love you and want to enjoy tonight. I don't want to spend it arguing back and forth."

Gaara reached over across the table and tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear. He waited for her to drop her hand from her forehead before speaking. "Of course," he told her as he let his hand linger on the side of her face. He was unable to deny his wife anything. "And I love you as well," He stated with a small smile. Things were still so rocky between them and he hated that.

"Thank you," She whispered as she placed her hand over his and leaned into his palm. He watched her close her eyes and he had to swallow the lump that began forming in his throat. He needed the waiter to hurry up with their tea or he was gonna choke. Ren looked so at ease and happy, just from his hand against her cheek. Oh the ideas he now had to attempt to bring her more happiness. That would have to wait though. "We will be leaving in a couple of weeks to attend my mother's wedding, won't we," Ren asked suddenly. She had opened her eyes to stare at him.

"Of course. I have business during that time as well but will be able to attend the wedding. There have been more developments with Oto so the Kages will be meeting once more," Gaara told her with regret apparent in his voice. He gently rubbed his thumb against her cheekbone.

"I understand," Ren said weakly. She did understand but that didn't mean she liked it. She would just have to get over it. This was the price of being married to the Kazekage and she would gladly pay it. She loved Gaara too much not to. "We'll just have to make sure we find time for each other too, right?"

"Of course. I'll be free in the evenings so that will be our time. I'm sure that during the day Hanabi, Hinata, and your mother will keep you and Kenta busy. You won't even notice how long the meetings are. When I'm free for the evening, we'll spend some much needed family time hidden in our suite or taking in sights. I've decided that Matsuri, Kankuro, and Kabuto will be accompanying us. Kankuro will be involved in the meetings, because he's on my council, so Matsuri will remain with you. You can't be too far away from Kabuto so he has to go along for that purpose," Gaara informed her.

His tone said it wasn't up for debate and she knew better than to argue anyway. She hated the idea of Matsuri going instead of Baki. She knew that Baki would be running things while Gaara was away though. Why did it have to be Matsuri though? Oh how Ren disliked the perky brunette. Sunagakure needed it to be this way so she would not complain. It gave her a chance to spend time with Temari, her mother, and everyone else. That wouldn't be so bad, surely. She really hoped it wouldn't.

XXXXXXXX

*****Lemon Alert*****

Gaara planned to sneak into his bedroom as silently as possible. He knew that his wife and son were both asleep and did not wish to wake them. He opened the door and was shocked to be met by a burst of light. He peered inside to find Ren sitting in bed reading a book. He couldn't see the cover but that wasn't his focus. The rays of light that danced on Ren's face illuminated her facial features like the sun reflects off the moon. His breath caught in his throat. She was doing nothing more than chewing on her bottom lip as her white eyes scanned the pages but it was enough to take his breath away. His wife was still so beautiful and she was apparently waiting up on him.

He slipped into the room and closed the door soundlessly. The only noise that came from the whole motion was the gentle click from the door latching. He turned around to find Ren's eyes on him, a small smile upon her lips. Neither said anything as he silently made his way past his sleeping son, who he glanced at and smiled, and to their dresser. He pulled out a pair of black lounge pants and placed them on top of it. He could feel Ren's eyes on him and he smiled to himself. He had no problems giving her a show so he removed his jacket and then his turtleneck, letting them both fall into a pile on the floor. He could see her in the mirror to his left and noticed a small blush upon her cheeks. It was one hell of an ego booster for the former jinchuriki. He casually unbuckled his pants and let them fall to his ankles. He heard her breath hitch in her chest and watched her look away. Yes, he rather enjoyed rare moments like these. He knew he had her undivided attention and that she would never look at anyone, including Kabuto, the way she was looking at him right at that moment.

With little effort he pulled on his sleep pants and turned to face her. Her cheeks were tinted red and her eyes were locked on the page in her book. He quietly padded over to the bed and pulled back the covers on his side of the bed. When he did so he noticed that Ren's blue nightgown only reached her thighs. He suddenly felt like she was planning something. Hopefully it would be the something he wanted it to be. He scooted closer to her and carefully pulled the book from her hands. Her head turned suddenly and their eyes met. "G-Gaara," She whispered his name like a question and it sent shivers down his spine. How long had it been since he heard her moaning his name as he made love to her? Far too long. "Wh-what are you doing," She asked as he leaned over her and placed the book on her nightstand.

He smiled a true smile that he saved just for her. "I'm putting you to bed," He muttered hotly. He watched her blush rise and lower to cover her whole face and neck. He pulled her close and she did not resist, in fact she wrapped her arms around his neck as he buried his face into her breasts.

Her breath caught in her throat as he gently nipped at the exposed skin from the top of her low-neckline nightgown. "G-Gaara, Kenta is in the room," she whispered breathlessly.

Gaara had seemingly forgotten that detail. Oh how unfortunate for him that his son was still sleeping in their bedroom. "Don't you think it's time he's begun sleeping in the nursery," he asked before biting her lightly again.

She gasped once more and closed her eyes. She was having such a hard time focusing on anything other than Gaara's lips and teeth on her skin. She took a deep breath which resulted in her breasts pressing against Gaara's mouth harder. She quickly exhaled when she realized that detail. "What if he needs us and we can't hear him," Ren rationalized through her lusty haze.

Gaara leaned back to stare up at his wife. She always had to be so logical; how fortunate for him that he had a solution for that very problem. "We have baby monitors. Do you not remember buying them? We will hear him when he cries. I do not want him to hear me needing you," He murmured before he ran his tongue from her collarbone up to her ear.

She shivered and closed her eyes tighter. She was gritting her teeth and blushing so hot that he could have fried an egg on her forehead. "A-alright, f-fine," she said after a few moments of him planting kisses just below her ear. She couldn't help but cave into his desire. Every touch set her skin ablaze with need of her own.

"Good," Gaara mumbled against her throat, "We'll move him in there, make sure he's all set up, and then we'll come back in here and I'll show you how much I've missed being one with you." Ren felt like tummy flip-flop in anticipation so she nodded slowly and he smiled against her neck. He gave it one more kiss then pulled away to climb out of bed. Ren moved so quickly out of the bed that he had missed the whole view. It was amusing. Did she want him as badly as he wanted her? He certainly hoped so and she had gotten out of bed in a hurry. After three months without sex with her he felt like he was dying or that his testicles would fall off from lack of use at least.

Ren walked over to the crib, Gaara noticed her hips swaying as she did and he couldn't help but appreciate the view. Yes, he liked her having a little extra weight to her. She had been so thin, almost sickly so, before Kenta and now her figure was perfect. She had curves and he loved it. Gaara grabbed the monitors from the dresser and switched them on. He placed the receiver on Ren's nightstand and kept the transmitter in his hand. He glanced up at Ren who had Kenta cradled in her arms with his tiny arm dangling and a blue pacifier in his mouth. "He's still asleep," she told him softly. He nodded and led her out of their room and diagonally across the hall to the nursery. He flicked on the lamp and looked around the room. The crib was simple, made of oak wood and was the center piece of the room. It really was much bigger than the bassinet that Kenta had been sleeping in. Gaara was sure Kenta would appreciate the room.

"Alright. Lay him down and we'll tuck him in," Gaara stated as he placed the monitor on the end table right next to the crib. The nursery was nice. It had everything a baby would need. It was odd to Gaara that this was the first time Kenta would be using the room but his wife had been adamant about Kenta remaining within their room until he was able to sleep through the night. It was Gaara's luck that Kenta had started doing so recently.

Ren approached the crib and laid Kenta down so slowly that Gaara wanted to order her to hurry up. He couldn't do that though. She would not be pleased with that response and he very much wanted to make her happy. He never ordered her around anyway. Ren leaned down to kiss Kenta's red head and Gaara watched her nightgown rise up to reveal her blue lace panties. If he wasn't turned on by her before, he was now. There was something so sexy about his wife being a mother as well. She was whispering to Kenta and Gaara placed his hand on her shoulder. She straightened up and looked at him. "You don't want to wake him," Gaara told her softly.

She nodded and whispered, "Goodnight, Kenta," in the boys ear. He smiled in his sleep behind his pacifier and she took a step back from the crib. Gaara smiled at his son and stroked his hair a few times before grabbing his wife's hand and leading her out of the nursery gently. He noticed Ren glancing back at the sleeping infant a few times before he closed the door. Her attachment to their son was adorable most times but at that moment Gaara really just wanted her attention, all of it. "Do you really think he'll be okay in there," Ren questioned softly.

Gaara stared at his wife in the dimly lit hallway. "Of course," he responded without thought. He knew very well that Kenta would be fine in his own room. In a slow movement Gaara lifted his hand to brush some of Ren's hair behind her ear. It was an interaction he caught himself doing constantly but he didn't mind that. Her hair was like silk and her skin like satin. He enjoyed the feeling of tucking her hair behind her ears, it gave him a much clearer view of her face that way. "He will be fine and we will hear when he wakes up," Gaara told her. He leaned his face down closer to Ren's but she didn't make a movement to return his action. Perhaps he had been mistaken in believing she wanted him as well. He frowned slightly and sighed with his face a few inches from hers. "We don't have to do this," he muttered through the sigh.

He watched Ren's face twist in confusion. "But I want to," She whispered, "I really do… I'm just… scared I guess." Her gaze dropped to the floor and he stood up straight.

"We'll talk about this in our room, away from the possibility of interruption," Gaara stated as he turned to walk to their door. He didn't see Ren nod but felt her follow him. The two entered the room soundlessly and Gaara sat on the edge of the bed. "What's wrong?"

Ren sat next to him with her hands on her lap. She fidgeted nervously with her fingernails. "It's just it's been a long time and my body is different now. I'm not in as good of shape. I'm not as tight now," she admitted.

"That is part of having children and I think you look even more beautiful now," Gaara comforted her. He placed his hand on her shoulder and she looked up at him. "I will always find you to be the most beautiful person I have ever met."

Ren swallowed the lump in her throat. She was thrown back into a memory of a conversation she had with Temari before she left.

_"__It'll be fine Ren. You've been doing the exercises Kabuto told you about right," Temari questioned. The two of them were sitting at the table in the kitchen having breakfast. They were the only ones awake and it was a rare moment for the two of them. Ren nodded so Temari continued. "Then there's nothing to worry about. You look great and, while you did have a traumatizing experience, I'm sure my little brother will still enjoy your _downstairs_ just as much as he ever did," Temari stated with a laugh._

_Ren's whole face turned red and she covered her face with her hands. "Temari! Don't say it like that," Ren exclaimed. It was all so embarrassing but who else would she talk to about this? Her mother wasn't around for advice and Ren wasn't sure this was something she'd even want to talk to her about._

_"__Okay, okay. I'll try to be more sensitive about it," Temari said through her chuckle. She cleared her throat and wiped all emotion from her face. "Gaara loves you and is going to want to make love with you again. It's inevitable. Remember when you two first got married and you were having sex nightly? You guys have left that phase but that doesn't mean he doesn't still find you attractive and want you. Take advantage of that, Short-Stuff. He's not going to be disappointed when you guys finally do it. Promise." Temari flashed Ren a toothy grin._

_Ren continued to blush but uncovered her face. "But I have stretch marks, extra pounds, and I'm not as fit as I was before. What if he sees me naked and decides I'm disgusting?"_

_"__This is Gaara we're talking about," Temari stated calmly, "He loved you when you were really gross. Remember all the times he held your hair while you lost your lunch? Or the time you were sick and had snot all over yourself? He still wanted you then. You've just given him an amazing gift. You've given him a son, a family. He's not going to find that disgusting at all." _

Ren really hoped that Temari was right about that. She couldn't bear the idea of Gaara finding her hideous. She bit her bottom lip and nodded to him. "Okay, I believe you," She whispered as she wrapped her arms around his neck.

"I'm glad," Gaara told her as he twisted his body to face her. He pulled her hair back to expose her neck and kissed it sweetly. "Now let me show you what you do to me," He murmured against her skin. She gasped and he nipped her neck lightly before licking the spot with his tongue.

Ren's body automatically felt hot and aroused. She blushed and tilted her head to the side to expose more of herself to her husband. His body was hardening as well. It was a good feeling that they had not experienced together in a while. Tonight he was going to ravish her into bliss. Ren's hand trailed down from his shoulder to his crotch and he groaned against the crook of her neck as she grabbed him. "Gaara?"

"Yeah," He asked as he leaned back to look at her.

"I love you," She said with a bright smile that took his breath away.

"I love you as well," He told her as soon as he recovered from her sudden change. He didn't give her a chance to say anything more before he pressed his lips to hers in an open mouth kiss. She ran her hand up with length over his pants and he hardened so quickly it was almost painful. Her hands were like magic and he knew her mouth was the same. He slipped his tongue into her mouth and almost smirked when she moaned. He had missed touching her, hearing her. He gently parted her legs and ran his fingertips against the inside of one of her thighs. He felt her shiver and broke the kiss to look into her eyes. He pressed his hand against her core and her breath hitched in her throat. He smirked slightly at her reaction. "I want to do so many things to you," he murmured, "but mostly I just want to be inside you."

That did it for Ren. She was a goner. Her arousal spiked through the roof. Where had such words come from? It wasn't like Gaara to be so forward about it. She wasn't going to complain. It was embarrassing but she liked it. He really did want her and that was enough to make her heart race and flower moisten. "Th-then take me," She whispered anxiously.

Gaara stared at her for a moment with his hand still between her legs. He could feel her panties dampening and it caused his member to twitch with anticipation. He removed his hand from between her legs to grab the hem of her nightgown and pull it up and over her head. He allowed his eyes a moment to soak in her beauty. Her breasts were bigger than they had been in the past, most likely from her producing milk for Kenta, and her abdomen housed a few dark marks from Kenta stretching her skin as he grew. He couldn't count her ribs anymore and that made him happier than he could express. He placed his hands on her belly and caressed his way up her porcelain skin to her breasts and then her back. He had her permission to take what he wanted but he still acted slowly for fear of pushing too far. "You're so beautiful," He told her because it was true. Her body had changed but it was a good change.

Ren ran the tip of her index finger up his erection's length and he groaned lightly. The feathery touch was more teasing than he cared to admit. He laid her back onto the bed and her arms automatically moved to wrap around his chest. He smiled to himself at her flushed face with her raven hair fanned out on the bed beneath them and held back his amusement. She could seem so innocent without even trying. Gaara knew exactly how dirty she could be but she always had a blush on her face while doing it. He kissed her deeply and she slipped her tongue into his mouth without hesitation. He took the distraction to remove her of her panties and then slid his pants down to his knees. They broke the kiss for air and were both panting. "Gaara, please," Ren pleaded as she raised her hips to brush his member with her core. She was so wet and hot.

Oh how he would love to fulfil that request right that second. "Wait a minute," he told her as he grabbed her hips to still them. He kissed her neck and then stood up, off the bed. Gaara let his pants fall to his feet and stepped out of them before going over to his night stand. One child —only because they already had him— was all Gaara would ever ask of Ren and so the condoms he bought a week ago would be getting use, unlike the ones he had bought before. He pulled out a foil wrapper and tore it open as he made his way back to her. By the time he was on top of her he had the condom on and she was blushing like crazy. "Ready," he asked as he shifted himself between her legs.

Ren nodded. "I'm ready," she said lowly. She hadn't been expecting the condom but was relieved, mostly, that he had thought of it. In her lusty haze she hadn't even thought about reproduction. That was what had led to their first child, their next would have to be better planned.

He kissed her shoulder and pressed his erection into her flower. He heard her take a sharp breath and held himself halfway sheathed. "Are you alright," he asked her with his non-existent eyebrows furrowed. He hadn't wanted to hurt her. The idea that he may have was making it hard to hold still. He wanted to push in further for his pleasure but also to pull himself out of her for her comfort.

"A-ano," Ren sputtered out as she blushed crimson red and covered her eyes with her hand, as if not seeing him would make it easier to say, "I-I j-just… r-really… really m-missed this. Gomenasai, I didn't mean to make you think it hurt."

Gaara pulled her hand from her face and kissed her nose lightly. "I've missed this as well," he murmured as he sheathed himself to the hilt. She wasn't as tight as she had been but he actually found it more comfortable. Gaara buried his face in the crook of her neck and slowly began to rock his member in and out of her. Her quiet moans filled his ears and he couldn't help but be even more turned on. He wasn't too fond of the condom but this was an almost fool-proof way to avoid another pregnancy and he would stick to it.

"D-does it feel good f-for you too Gaara," Ren asked through her moans as she wrapped her legs around his waist. She was practically pulling him into her as she rocked her hips in sync with his. Her core was on fire and she felt like she was going insane with pleasure. She wanted to make sure he was enjoying it too. She really hoped her body could still please him…

"It feels so good to me," Gaara told her huskily. He bit her neck lightly and she shivered beneath him. Her body still enjoyed the same sensations as it had before giving birth to Kenta. She was squeezing him tightly and her moans echoed in his head. The pleasure of her moist walls hugging his member was amplified tenfold by the knowledge he was bringing her just as much pleasure. He couldn't contain his groans very well as his rhythm sped up. It felt good, too good. This was far more than just sex. It wasn't even about that, it was about expressing that they still loved each other even when everything else was going to hell. They needed to confirm that both of them still had the fire burning in them that kept the candle of their love lit. He needed her to know how much she meant to him. She needed him to know that she was his, always his. This was their way of reassuring each other that everything would be fine.

"I've missed making love to you so much," He murmured against her skin as he kissed his way back to her lips. He wanted to hear her moan but she was getting louder the harder he thrust into her. It wouldn't be good if her cries of pleasure woke their son. He was not willing to give up his alone time with her yet. He kissed her deeply and their tongues tangled in a frantic and sloppy dance between pants and moans.

The pressure was building inside Gaara. She could still make him ejaculate so quickly it was insane. He prayed he could do the same with her. His free hand reached between them and he leaned back enough to allow his middle finger to rub circles around the little ball of nerves between her legs. Her whole body jumped and she whimpered. "G-Gaara if you do that you'll make me-."

"I know," Gaara said hotly, "I want you to so I can as well." Ren nodded once before she involuntarily threw her head back. Her moans no longer made a noise at all. It was like she was screaming out but the sound wasn't there. Her nails dug into his back because she had to hold onto _something_ as an orgasm finally took over her. She was so beautiful even as her face twisted in pleasure. Her walls clamped down on him so tightly that he almost ceased movement. It was the best feeling he had experienced in so long, too long, and it sent him over the edge right along with her. He thrust into her a few more times as both their climaxes came to an end then collapsed on top of her, barely able to use his arms to hold his body above hers.

She was still so small compared to him. He had always been smaller than everyone else because he was born premature but with Ren it was different. He was taller, broader, and heavier. She looked so tiny beneath him. How long had it been since she had been beneath him? He kissed her again, pleased that his petite little wife had enjoyed their love as much as he had. She kissed him back with equal passion and the two remained entangled long after the kiss had ended and their breathing returned to normal. He lost himself in her moonstone orbs and she was lost in his turquoise pools. He wanted to say something to her, something that could express how much this moment had meant to him but no words formed.

*****End Citrus (mostly) *****

"Gaara," Ren whispered his name breathlessly. His heart skipped a beat. "I'm sorry for having doubts before. It's just that a lot of things have changed for us both and I didn't want you to be disappointed with me."

Gaara kissed the tip of her nose and pulled away from her. They both shivered at the lack of warmth against their sweaty skin but he knew they couldn't remain in that position forever. "Get redressed and then we'll talk about it. I don't think it would be wise to wait until Kenta is awake and needing us to rush around and put clothes on," He told her quietly. He hated having to be so logical about it. He, as a man, would have been perfectly happy sleeping next to his sexy, naked wife. Soundlessly Gaara got off the bed and his legs felt like gelatin. This was not an activity his body was used to preforming anymore. He found slight amusement in it and hoped this would become a reoccurring event for them.

Condom disposed and pants back on, Gaara climbed into bed to see his wife struggling with her nightgown. It had become twisted and tangled from his removal of the garment. A smile quirked on his lips. He truly felt like he had the best view in the whole world. He fought disappointment when she was finally redressed and lying beside him. He reached over and pulled her closer gently with no opposition from Ren. "I will never be disappointed in anything you do," Gaara mumbled against the top of her head as she rested it against his shoulder. His arms locked around her waist and she snuggled her face against his bare chest while draping her leg over his.

"Then why didn't you call me back here when the Fourth Shinobi War broke out," Ren asked softly. It was a question she'd been meaning to ask again several times. Temari had told her that they sent word to every active shinobi except her.

Gaara sighed inaudibly and closed his dark ringed eyes. He hadn't wanted to talk about that ever again. So much had happened and not very much taken from the war could be considered good. He knew he needed to explain things to Ren because she felt he had doubted her abilities but that didn't make it any easier. "I didn't doubt you then. You are an amazing kunoichi and would have been a valuable asset but I had wanted to keep you out of it. I was selfish but swore to protect everyone I considered my friend. It was easier to protect you in Kusagakure rather than the front lines of battle. I knew, in a way, you would be in my future and I wanted to keep you there."

Ren fought back a smile. She hated that he thought she would've died but understood it was much deeper than that. Her brother, Neji, had died during that war. According to the letters she received Neji was an honorable and powerful shinobi. If someone like him could have his light extinguished, who was to say hers wouldn't have been too? She didn't want to picture a world without Kenta. She kissed Gaara's bare chest and sighed softly. "I understand. I just really wish I could've been there for you. It was horrible, not knowing what was going on. I always worried about you, Kankuro, Temari, and even Baki. I was so excluded from everything and it was painful. I wanted nothing more than to return home and aid my fellow shinobi; to protect my village and my people. Now I get to do that from my place as the wife of the Kazekage. It doesn't feel as active of a role but I like being able to bring hope and comfort to our people. I'm always stopped when Kabuto and I go out with Kenta. Everyone loves and adores him already and it's like all the bad things we've done in the past have been forgotten, mostly. You worked so hard to rewrite what people thought of you and I hid in the shadows until they forgot." Ren frowned at herself. _"My way certainly wasn't the best way,"_ Ren told herself. "Hopefully Kenta will never know what either of us has done, the pain we caused. I think that if Miki, Yuu, and Iwao would have tried the same thing before you came into my life I would have let them kill me without a fight at all. They waited too long though…

"A long time ago you asked me a question that made me feel hopeless and without purpose. You told me 'I have decided that Sunagakure and its people are precious to me. That they are why I continue to exist. I will become the Fifth Kazekage.' Then you asked me a question I couldn't answer well enough. 'Do you have someone precious like that, Ren?' I decided a long time ago that _you_ are what is precious to me and you are why I continue to exist. Now the list is longer but you and now Kenta are still what is most precious to me. You are my light in darkness," Ren's voice cracked lightly and tears were forming in her eyes.

Gaara absent-mindedly rubbed his hand up and down her arm while she spoke. He felt guilty. "Back then I still did not understand the concept of most things involving social interactions. People, friends; they were all foreign to me. The words that I spoke that day were not meant to hurt you at all. I thought someone who seemed so determined would have someone precious. I thought your mother or even Kankuro would have been your driving force. I'm sorry."

"Don't be sorry," Ren told him as she sniffled. She had to get a reign on her emotions. The past was nothing to cry over! "I grew from it. I thought about it often and it helped shape me. As for Kankuro… Things have been strained between us for years. I had convinced myself I wasn't precious to him and so I closed myself off from him. It was just how things went. I'm looking forward to the future even if it's not clear how things will go," Ren murmured, "Just think, soon we'll be staying in Konohagakure for Kaa-san's wedding. Temari's wedding is being planned there too. I can't wait for Kaa-san and Hanabi-imouto to meet Kenta. I'm worried about what I'll say to Hinata though." Ren chewed on her bottom lip for a second then sighed. "How do I look at Sasuke the same? How do I tell my cousin that she and her husband are in danger? It's all so much pressure."

"You're thinking about it too much," Gaara stated as he rubbed her shoulder gently, "Focus on the good things and the rest will fall into place. Kabuto will probably be the one to tell Sasuke about what's going on, if Hatake Kakashi hasn't already. Just get some sleep, Ren, we have a busy day tomorrow and an even busier week ahead of us. Worrying yourself sick will not help the situation. Sleep. I love you."

Ren couldn't argue with him. She was worrying too much but that's what she was good at: worrying. She stifled a sigh and closed her eyes. "I love you as well," she murmured sleepily, "Goodnight, Gaara." She focused on nothing other than the pounding of his heart below her ear and allowed sleep to claim her. Gaara's own rest came so quickly he didn't even notice himself drifting off.

XXXXXXXX

Gaara, Ren, Kenta, Kabuto, Matsuri, and Kankuro had been traveling for five days already but they would be reaching Konohagakure in the early morning hours. They were traveling at a much slower pace than Gaara and Matsuri would have liked but Kenta had been very fussy most of the trip. They had to take frequent stops for Ren as well. Gaara wondered if he had perhaps been too rough with her the night before their departure. She never once complained but it was obvious that she was still in some pain because after walking for about two hours she would start to slow down. Yes, Gaara was sure that using his sand had been a bad move before their trip. It had been fun though, for both of them. Gaara had to mentally shake the images of Ren pinned and bound by his sand while he teased her from his mind. Thoughts like that were useless to him at the moment; the two had not gotten any alone time and it wasn't like they could allow themselves to get lost in the throes of passion, it was an ambush opportunity just waiting to happen.

Gaara glanced around his companions as they all sat in front of their campfire. Matsuri was talking peacefully with Kankuro who didn't seem the least bit interested in anything the younger female had to say. Kabuto was resting his face in his hands with his glasses off and seemed stressed. Gaara couldn't help but wonder if it had something to do with returning to his home village. If the supplies to remove the seal on his wife had arrived in time then the medic wouldn't have even been required to join them. Ren was holding Kenta with her head resting on Gaara's shoulder. He knew that Ren was having anxieties about visiting the Hidden Leaf Village as well. It was something they had talked about countless times.

Everyone had been agitated on the journey thus far. Matsuri had found every stop to be annoying and wanted to stick to the schedule so much that she had actually argued with Gaara, Kankuro, and Kabuto about it the first few times. After that she would just sigh loudly and stalk off to check the perimeter even though Ren had done so with her byakugan. Matsuri's reactions created a domino effect. Kankuro would grumble about how annoying Matsuri was as he inspected his puppets, Kabuto would scowl and stick closer to Ren, Kenta would cry more than he usually already was, and Ren would close herself off. He knew she felt bad for slowing them down and her defense was to distance herself from everything. She would tend to Kenta but he was the only one she would speak to or grace with a smile. She spent his feeding time consoling him, telling him that it wasn't his fault and Matsuri was just being a big 'meanie' who was being overly impatient. Gaara spent his time glaring at all of them except Ren and Kenta. It didn't solve anything but it made him feel better.

Now they were sitting here trying to relax for the night. It had been too dark with the treetops blocking out the moon to travel. "I'm sorry for making us so late," Ren murmured softly so that only Gaara could hear her. Her eyes were closed and Gaara had honestly thought she had fallen asleep.

He rubbed the small of her back where his hand rested and glanced down at Kenta who was out like a light. "We left early to give ourselves more time. Don't worry, we aren't late. I continue to tell you that. You do not have to apologize for something that is not an issue. Baki has Suna under control so there really is no need to stress over it. We will get there in time for the wedding," Gaara told her gently.

Kankuro had apparently upset Matsuri because she growled at him and stormed off to her tent. "Sheesh," Kankuro grumbled. He stared at the three pairs of eyes that were now on him. "Nani," He asked. He crossed his arms, "She's the one who was lecturing me about not hitting on women. All I did was tell her she should worry more about herself. It's not my fault she took it wrong."

Ren and Kabuto sighed in unison. It was a little troubling for Gaara. They had either spent too much time together or Kankuro just had that effect on both of them. "You should have just ignored her comments," Gaara stated flatly. His brother was still an idiot and had no way with women, at least when it came to keeping them around. Sure Matsuri wasn't interested in Kankuro, or vice versa, but they could at least try to get along. It was becoming exhausting for the 19 year old Kazekage to deal with.

"Kankuro," Ren said softly as she sat up straight and stared at the puppet master, "Maybe you should apologize to her. It might, ano, smooth things over. I am not saying it is all your fault but she is just trying to look out for us all. She may be bitter at times but her intentions are good. Please forgive Matsuri-san and apologize."

How could anyone resist his wife's quiet request? Gaara knew that if he were in Kankuro's shoes he would find it impossible. Judging by the twisted look of Kankuro's painted face and the way his shoulders sagged, Kankuro couldn't resist it either. "Fine but if she doesn't accept my apology that's not my fault," Kankuro grunted. The three remaining adults watched Kankuro sulk his way over to Matsuri's tent like a kicked puppy.

"You sure have a way with him," Kabuto mused aloud. The medic was smirking slightly but it was clear he was trying to hide it. Old habits die hard, Gaara figured. Kabuto had always had a way of pushing people's buttons while trying to appear completely innocent to it.

"I just told him what he already knew. It's getting late so perhaps we should all head to bed," Ren suggested softly with a sweet smile. Gaara realized as soon as Kabuto nodded and excused himself for the night that Ren could be very manipulative. She could probably kill with that smile of hers. "I'm going to turn in too," Ren said softly before she pressed her lips to Gaara's cheek.

He nodded and told her, "I'll be there shortly. I just want to let Kankuro know he's got first watch."

XXXXXXXX

The Kazekage and his companions were greeted at the gates of Konohagakure early in the morning hours. The Leaf Village had just began its day and the gate keepers rushed up to them to welcome them in. The duo was one Ren recognized instantly. She kept her head down and played it off as talking to Kenta whose eyes were wide with wonder as he looked around them. She hoped he wasn't being over stimulated. The two jonin from the gate stared at the group. "The Hokage is expecting you," the man with dark hair, dark eyes, and a bandage across his face stated in a low voice that had a deepness similar to her husband's. It hadn't changed at all. Ren had met so many people that she was shocked to recognize _his_ voice and _his_ face. She supposed he was difficult to forget.

"Right," The other said calmly. His voice hadn't changed either. Ren glanced up to see if he wore that familiar, friendly smile. Sure enough he did. It still made her feel welcome, accepted, and looked out for. "Hey I know you," Izumo stated as he looked at Ren. Her heart rose up into her chest. Now she'd be caught in her lie from so long ago. "You're Hinata and Hanabi's older sister right?"

Ren relaxed considerably. Everyone was watching the interaction between Ren and Izumo. Kotetsu was staring at Ren with such interest that Gaara found it uncomfortable. He knew his wife was attractive but the look in the man's dark eyes was unexplainable. If they knew she was Hinata and Hanabi's _sister_ then they also, certainly, knew she was his wife. Making eyes like that at another man's wife was not something you did if you wanted to keep your gentiles intact. How fortunate for Kotetsu that he was not the bloodthirsty monster he used to be. "Hai! That's right," Ren said softly, "We're here for Okaa-san an Otou-san's wedding actually. Well, Gaara is here for the Kage meeting as well." Gaara watched as Ren bit her lip. She seemed overly nervous.

Kabuto was clinching his fists at his side and Kankuro was scowling. They both wanted to get Ren away from the guy who was giving her bedroom eyes. Kankuro glanced at Gaara. His face was blank and Kankuro couldn't be sure if his brother even understood what was going on. "You look familiar," Kotetsu commented.

"A-ano, I get told that a lot by people from the Leaf. Th-they say I look just like a female Neji," Ren said with a forced laugh. She was sweating, the group noticed. Definitely very nervous. What was she hiding? Gaara would find out later.

Matsuri had had enough of the delay and spoke up. "I'm sure you'll have time to get acquainted later," Matsuri spoke sweetly. Ren couldn't help but feel that if Matsuri knew how well Ren knew Kotetsu and Izumo she wouldn't say it that way. You don't travel with people without learning a little about them, which applied to Kotetsu and Izumo as well. "We really do need to get Kazekage-sama and his family to the Hokage. We've been traveling for days and are all exhausted."

Izumo and Kotetsu looked at each other. They were both wondering who pissed on her food pill this morning. "We have an escort on his way to take you to the tower. He should arrive any moment. We sent for him as soon as we saw you coming," Izumo stated softly. His voice was silky like velvet and it took everything Matsuri had not to swoon over him. Ren noticed the blush on Matsuri's cheeks and fought the urge to roll her eyes. She had seen his voice have the same effect on the woman she considered to be her older sister, Momoko. Ren had been too nervous during the trip to pay attention (despite Kotetsu's light flirting) to either of the men. Now she still wasn't paying much attention to them; she was happily married and worried they would figure out that she was Kato Asuka.

Ren almost sighed with relief when she saw Akimichi Choji walk up to the gatehouse. "Hey there Kotetsu, Izumo. You guys sent for me," He asked as his dark eyes took in the sight of the Kazekage and his traveling companions. He recognized all of them, including Kabuto. They had been ordered not to engage in battle with the medical snake but that didn't keep Choji's blood from boiling, he crushed the bag of chips he had been munching on in his fist. If he were given the chance he would stomp the bastard beneath expansion jutsu-ed, jumbo-sized feet.

"That's right," Kotetsu said quickly, "The Kazekage has arrived and needs to be taken to the Hokage tower. You're the one they've decided will escort him around so you'd better get busy. Hokage-dono is a patient man but he won't like it if we hold them up any longer."

"Right, this way then," Choji said as he began walking back down the path that lead straight through the village. He was still angry but Gaara was a friend of the Leaf and so he would bury those feelings and be the best escort possible.

Ren took in the sights. She never imagined the village would be so colorful. You couldn't tell that they had ever had the whole village wiped out in an Akatsuki attack less than five years before. The people were all laughing and smiling with each other and would wave to the Kazekage as if he were their own kage. A ball bounced out into their path and the whole group was stopped by Choji's order. A little girl with brown hair and jade green eyes ran after the ball that stopped at Gaara's feet. He knelt down and picked it up, handing it to her without hesitation. She took it and flashed him a grin that showed she was missing two front teeth. "Thank you, Kazekage-sama," the little girl said with a bow before running off.

Choji cleared his throat and asked, "Ready to continue? I didn't want her to get stepped on trying to get her ball back. Sorry about that."

Ren and Gaara exchanged a look that left the rest of them confused. Ren laughed lightly and shook her head. "Choji-san, don't worry about it at all. We have no problem stopping for others. We often do similar in Sunagakure."

"It's true. Ren has him programed to stop whenever a kid is running towards him," Kankuro chuckled with a hand resting on his hip.

Everyone was thinking the same thing but no one dared say it: The Kazekage was whipped. It was good for the people though. All the kids looked up to Gaara and felt special when he paid attention to them. Gaara felt their eyes on him and frowned internally. "Let's continue on. Hatake-sama has waited long enough," Gaara told them firmly.

The group walked to the Hokage tower in silence but Ren had wrapped her free hand around his bicep at some point. The two walked the whole way like that, even up the many stairs to the top of the tower. She was offering him her support in her own way. She was telling him 'I'm here with you' without a single word. She knew how irritating Kankuro could be for Gaara and wanted to remind him he wasn't the only one having to deal with him. "Here you guys are. I'm going to go get my partner in case you guys need to split up but we'll be back here by the time Kakashi-sensei is done talking," Choji stated calmly.

"Thank you, Choji," Gaara told him lightly. Choji bowed and took his leave. Matsuri knocked on the door as soon as the Akimichi's back was turned to them and they were prompted to enter without hesitation. Kakashi had probably already known they were there. "Ohayo, Kakashi-sama," Gaara greeted the hokage with a bow. Everyone else did the same, except Kenta who chose that moment to start crying at the sight of the scary Sixth Hokage.

"Gomenasai," Ren murmured as she bowed again and began bouncing the three month old. He had been oddly quiet when they entered the village and now he was going to show exactly how loud he could be.

Nothing she did silenced his wails. "Perhaps we should take him out into the hall so the Kages may speak," Kabuto suggested from behind Ren.

"Right," She said softly and bowed again. "Forgive me Hokage-sama," she practically pleaded with the leader of the Hidden Leaf Village.

"That's okay," Kakashi said as he waved her off, "Children often have that reaction to me. I think it's the mask." His tone was light hearted but his eye was narrowed at Kabuto. Gaara noticed his hostility towards the man and couldn't blame him. Kabuto had caused so much grief between all of the nations. Kakashi stood up and called out towards the door, "Genma get in here."

The brunette senbon sucker entered the room with little interest showing in his brown eyes. "What is it," Genma asked as he surveyed the room. Three males, two females, and a baby; a _very noisy_ baby. He twirled his senbon between his teeth in irritation. That kid was loud!

"I'd like you to take Ren and Kabuto to your office so that Ren can properly tend to Kenta. Kabuto can't be too far from Ren so he will be joining you," Kakashi stated over Kenta's cry. Ren's cheeks were red from embarrassment. Kakashi wondered if the woman realized it wasn't her he was worried about. He trusted Gaara and the woman he had chosen to be with for the rest of his life. Kabuto was the problem. He didn't need to tell Genma to keep a close eye on Kabuto, they both knew that was what Kakashi wanted.

"This way then," Genma stated as he opened the door for them. He rubbed the back of his neck as he watched Ren bow and apologize again. Kabuto bowed, barely, and followed Ren out the door. Genma followed quickly and left the others to their meeting.

"I apologize as well, Kakashi-sama," Gaara stated flatly, "Kenta has been very fussy the entire trip. It has taken a lot out of him. He is so used to his routines at home that he seems to be having a difficult time adjusting."

Kankuro was rubbing his temples. He loved the kid but did he have to be so loud? The puppet master could almost swear that his crying had echoed off the walls and floor. He was surprised his screams hadn't shattered the windows. At least the kid had a good pair of lungs on him, right? Kankuro didn't feel like it was a good thing right now. He now had a headache and that was putting him in a foul mood.

Matsuri seemed unaffected by the whole thing. She just stood next to Gaara with her face blank. It was so out of character for her; she was usually quite cheery. Kakashi cleared his throat and stated. "I trust your trip went smoothly aside from your son's displeasure with the situation?" Gaara nodded. "That's good. I'll have Akimichi Choji and Inuzuka Hana escort you to your usual apartments. I made sure to give you the four bedroom one because of the size of your group. The Mizukage and Tsuchikage have already arrived and the Raikage is expected tomorrow. You'll all be in the same building. I do not feel the need to worry about you, Gaara, but I warned everyone: we will not tolerate violence from any of you."

"Understood," Gaara said with a bow. "I would very much like to go and rest for a while. It's been a very long trip for us all."

"Very well, I'll send word to you when Darui arrives in the village. Enjoy your stay," Kakashi said with an eye smile.

XXXXXXXX

"I'm coming," Ren called to the person who was knocking loudly on the door to the apartment she would be calling home during her stay in Konohagakure. She had just finished dressing after her shower and was in the process of brushing her hair. Matsuri was locked in her room, Kabuto was on the couch in the living quarters reading a book, and Kenta was asleep on his lap. Gaara and Kankuro had sat out just before dawn to meet with the other kages before the Raikage arrived. Ren placed down her brush on the kitchen table. She was planning on making breakfast as soon as her hair was brushed but the pounding on her door had executed that idea. It never even dawned on her to allow Kabuto or Matsuri to answer the door.

She rushed to the door and threw it open without thinking of using her byakugan to see who was there first. She realized she may feel too safe in the Leaf. She was met by the sight of a tall male with eyes so identical to her own. His face was oval but thin and he looked almost feminine. He wore a black bandana with a leaf forehead protector attached that covered most of his short brown hair but two longer clumps hung down to frame his pretty-boy face. Ren noticed he had two white hourglass-like beads on the ends. He was dressed in the same attire she had seem many Konoha shinobi wear: black pants, blue shirt, and green flak jacket. "Ohayo, Sabaku-sama," the man said in a calming, low voice, "My name is Hyuga Tokuma and it is an honor to meet you."

"Good morning," Ren replied after she swallowed the lump that formed in her throat as well as some of her nervousness, enough to keep from stuttering anyway. She took a step back and swept her hand towards the interior of the apartment while asking, "Won't you come in?"

"Thank you," he said as he bowed to her. Ren felt a blush creep up onto her cheeks. It was something she would never, ever be used to: people bowing to her. The man, Tokuma, stepped into the apartment and removed his shoes while Ren picked up a pair of plush slippers and handed them to him. "I was sent by Hiashi-sama to collect you and your son so that you could spend the day with your mother and sisters," Tokuma explained as he followed Ren into the living area.

"Oh I see," Ren said softly as she fought a frown. Why couldn't her mother come to her? Ren really wasn't sure she wanted to see the Hyuga district. She had heard horror stories about how 'branch' members were treated; her mother had fought tooth and nail to keep her hidden so she didn't end up in that place. Something felt so wrong about it, so very wrong. "A-ano," Ren stuttered out. She wasn't very good at keeping her anxiety at bay for very long without Gaara, Kankuro, or Temari with her. "I w-was a-actually hoping O-okaa-san c-could meet m-me s-somewhere f-for lunch. I-I suppose I c-could g-go there th-though. I-I d-do w-wish to g-go s-site s-seeing."

Hyuga Tokuma had one thought as he watched the Kazekage's wife fiddle with the ends of her very long, raven hair and sputter out her words, _"She is definitely Hinata-sama's sister. No doubt about it. They are both very meek it would seem."_ He cleared his throat and nodded. "I'm certain that Hanabi-sama would be most pleased to spend the day showing you around. I do not mean to hurry you but your mother is very anxious to see you," he told her calmly, well as calmly as he could tell the illegitimate daughter of his clan leader that her mother wanted to see her right then and there.

"O-oh I see. A-ano, I-I'm n-not s-supposed to l-leave w-without I-Inuzuka H-Hana," Ren stated calmly.

Kabuto had had enough of her stuttering by this point and closed his book. He stood up, carefully adjusting Kenta within his arm to keep the infant comfortable as he did. He turned to stare at the Hyuga male that had interrupted their day and fought the urge to frown. All Hyuga looked the same. He wondered if this one was branded too. Most of them were, except for the main branch. The whole thing had always really sickened Kabuto. "We'll be there as soon as our escort arrives. She should be here any minute," Kabuto stated coolly. He really didn't feel like spending the day in the Hyuga district but he'd follow Ren where ever she wanted to go. Who was sealed to whom? Kabuto was whipped, just like the Kazekage, but he was not getting any for his trouble. He allowed his gaze to fall to the woman who had him wrapped around her finger. She wasn't doing anything that one would find particularly cute, simply twirling a small clump of hair around her index finger, but he found her beautiful. In his eyes he was her hair at that moment. He should've turned and ran right away but he just couldn't do it. She needed him whether or not either of them liked it.

"I will take my leave then and inform your mother that you will arrive as soon as you are able," Tokuma stated to Ren kindly. He turned his attention to Kabuto and glared. If looks could kill, Kabuto would have been dead a million times over. "Farewell, Sabaku-sama," Tokuma said as he turned his attention back to Ren. He bowed and showed himself out.

Kabuto walked over and stood by Ren to watch Tokuma depart. As soon as the door was closed he looked at Ren with worry so clear in his black eyes. "Are you sure going to the Hyuga District is something you want to do," he asked her gently.

She took a deep breath and ran her fingers through her hair. Kabuto caught himself wishing to do the same. Was going there something she wanted to do? No. Would she? Yes. "I need to do this, Kabuto," Ren stated softly. She stepped away from him and reclaimed her hairbrush. "I hope Inuzuka Hana shows up soon. I do not want to keep kaa-san waiting too long and the sooner we get there the sooner we can leave."

_"__Yeah right. They'll keep us there all day with their traditional formalities alone,"_ Kabuto thought to himself. He watched Ren brush her hair and begin putting it up in an elegant up do with ornamental pins and clips. Kabuto couldn't figure out why she was going to such trouble with her hair. He watched her rummage through her hair accessories with care. "What are you doing, Ren," Kabuto asked as kindly as he possibly could. His confusion and irritation over the situation was getting the better of him. He didn't want to see the Hyuga bastards for anything.

"We can't go to the Hyuga Clan without looking as traditional and formal as possible. You have your yukata, hai? I'm going to wake Matsuri, dress Kenta, and then prepare myself. I'm sorry to order you around Kabuto. I just need this to go smoothly," Ren told him quietly. She was breathing harder and he could imagine her anxiety was through the roof. Few people knew the amount of worry Ren had when it came to her father's family like he did. She always tried to hide it so well. He would not argue with her and he would get himself ready.

XXXXXXXX

Inuzuka Hana arrived while Ren was still preparing. Matsuri had her red obi pulled so tightly that it was obvious she was having difficulty breathing but did not complain. Hana, being from a clan herself and aware of the discomfort, took the liberty to retie Ren's obi. She came up with the idea that it was twisted and no one argued with her. Ren had thanked her over and over with small smiles and her eyes. Ren instantly took a liking to Hana and stuck closer to her than she did Kabuto or Matsuri. Upon arriving at the Hyuga district Hana was scoffed at frequently which angered Ren. What did they have against her? Sure she had three identical ninken that were referred to as 'The Haimaru Brothers' but that was no reason to scowl. Ren had met Inuzuka Kiba and knew that nin-dogs were a vital part of the Inuzuka's lives. She just didn't understand. The trio was really very well behaved.

Ren now was in one of the many sitting rooms within the main house of the Hyuga compound on her heels with Kenta held on her lap with his back against her. He was dressed in a white kimono with little koi at the base and an orange obi. He looked utterly adorable. Matsuri and Kabuto sat behind Ren in a similar kneeling position and Inuzuka Hana was behind them sitting cross-legged with her canine companions at her side. They were informed that Hiashi, Naoma, and Hanabi would be arriving shortly and were left on their own.

Ren was panicking internally. She had seen so many 'lesser branch' members everywhere. They clearly aided the main branch as servants and it made her uneasy. That could be here if she had been born in Konohagakure. She was shaking and Kenta could feel her stress. He began to whimper. Ren forced herself to calm down and rubbed her fingers through his hair to sooth him. "Its okay, Kenta. We're going to meet your grandfather, grandmother, and aunt. I'm sorry for scaring you, musuko," Ren whispered in his ear before placing a gentle kiss on the top of his head. Her companions all kept their eyes on her.

There was a knock on the door and everyone twisted their heads towards the source of the sound. Ren had no idea what she should do when Hiashi entered the room. She wasn't prepared, wasn't trained, for this. She swallowed the lump in her throat and the moment the door opened she saw the most beautiful sight. Her mother, Naoma, was dressed in a black yukata with a white obi. She had her blond hair pinned in a bun and her eyes sparkled. "Ren," she whispered as if she couldn't recognize her own daughter. Ren nodded and that was all it took for Naoma to throw formalities out the window and close the gap between herself and her daughter. They were both crying by the time Naoma was kneeling with her arms around Ren's shoulders. The cried together while Hanabi and Hiashi entered the room.

Kabuto was greeted by a harsh glare from the leader and his heiress. Hana was also greeted with a glare though it was less intense. Matsuri was completely over looked. Hiashi and Hanabi took their places in front of Ren to wait their turn to greet her.

Naoma slowly pulled herself away from Ren to look at her. She hadn't even noticed the three-month old on her daughter's lap. "You look just like your otou-san," Naoma croaked out as she reached out to caress his face. He smiled a little. He always seemed to do that at the right times, even if he still didn't even know that's what he was doing.

"We named him Kenta," Ren said quietly as she wiped her tears on the back of her hand. She met Hiashi's gaze and smiled. "It is good to see you again, Otou-sama," Ren said gently.

"I am pleased to see you also, musume," Hiashi replied flatly. He had a smile on his face though. It was faint but it was there. 'Daughter' he had called her. She had never had a male address her in such a way. She fought more tears, she would cry no more today. He was a cold, indifferent man but it meant the world to her. She noticed he was staring at Kenta with pride in his eyes. It brought a small smile to her face.

"Good morning, Ren-nee-san," Hanabi stated with a toothy grin. Oh how much Hanabi had grown in the months since Ren had seen her!

"Good morning, Hanabi-imouto," Ren replied. Naoma hadn't stopped her gibberish with Kenta for a second so Ren was fighting a giggle. "Would you like to hold him, Kaa-san?"

"Oh I would love to," Naoma gushed as she held her hands out for the baby. Ren placed Kenta in her arms and Naoma's face lit up. "My grandson," Naoma whispered as she looked at the people in the room. Her grin was contagious. Ren, Hanabi, Hiashi, Hana, and Kabuto were smiling. The only one immune was Matsuri. Naoma turned her gaze back to Kenta and told him, "I have waited so long to meet you, little one. The pictures your mother sent just don't do you justice." Naoma kissed his forehead and he grabbed onto her face with his tiny little hands. Everyone's heart was swelling up.

"Does he have the byakugan as well," Hiashi asked suddenly.

Ren wasn't sure how to answer that. She bit her lip and stared down at her son. Her mother was rocking him and cooing to him. "I'm not certain but I believe he does. His eyes our like mine," Ren looked up at Hiashi and Hanabi, "Like ours."

Hiashi nodded and Hanabi fidgeted slightly. "I will need to alert the council but do not worry, he will not be sealed."

Ren nodded and glanced over her shoulder at Kabuto, Matsuri, and Hana. They were all silently watching the exchange. Ren bit her lip when she noticed exactly how much Kabuto was looking at her. She had to do something to get the attention away from Kenta's byakugan and her mother had never met Kabuto. No one, except those the Hokage allowed to, knew about her kidnapping. She knew that they wouldn't understand why he was there with her but she would be as honest as she could. Kabuto was her hero and she wished she could tell them that but she didn't want to worry anyone.

"Kaa-san," Ren said gently, "I would like you to meet Yakushi Kabuto. He is my protector and friend." She didn't want to ruin the moment but it was rude not to introduce them. "Kabuto this is my mother, Hyogo Naoma; my father, Hyuga Hiashi; and my sister, Hyuga Hanabi. I'm sure you've at least heard of them but I feel a proper introduction is necessary." It still felt so strange to introduce Hiashi as her father. The lie was fool-proof but it set her on edge. With that lie and the one she had told to Kotetsu and Izumo she was feeling more guilt than she cared to carry.

"It's very nice to meet you," Naoma told Kabuto while she glanced at him momentarily. Her attention wasn't kept on him long though. She was too interested in Kenta.

"It is a pleasure to meet you too," Kabuto replied.

Hiashi had to bite his tongue not to scoff. There were so many things wrong with Kabuto being his niece's protector. The man was a criminal. He caused too much damage to protect anyone. It was preposterous. He didn't know how Kabuto had wormed his way into Sunagakure and close to Ren but he didn't like it one bit. Hanabi was having mutual feelings about the situation but remained silent on the matter as well. "Ren-nee," Hanabi said gently to get Ren's attention, "Okaa-san and I would like to take you to see the village. We would like to take you to see Hinata-nee as well. Would it be okay for us to take you from your guards and enjoy family time?" Hanabi knew it was a long shot but surely Ren knew she would be safe without them.

Ren subconsciously played with the bracelet on her right wrist. She couldn't get far from Kabuto, it wasn't an option. Ren kept a smile on her face and replied gently, "I would love to see Hinata and the village but my guards must stay with me. Gaara has forbid me from being without them and the Hokage will not allow me to be unaccompanied by Inuzuka Hana. It's not my choice really." Ren glanced at Hana and mouthed 'sorry' to her before turning back to Hanabi. She didn't want her to think she didn't like her company. Ren really did. How could she not? Hana was a fun person to be around. "I do not think they will be a problem. I saw that the Mizukage had several shinobi with him, two of which were of the leaf. This group is small compared to it."

Hanabi knew she wouldn't be able to pull Ren from them. It was worth a try though. She stifled the sigh she almost let out and smiled. "Very well. Would you like to head out soon? There are many things to see."

"We will have you over for dinner tomorrow," Hiashi stated, "I am busy this evening or I would invite you over tonight. Have fun seeing Konoha." Hiashi stood and nodded to them all. He was out of the room before anyone could say anything.

"He's stressed out," Naoma explained, "He has been working very hard on a proposition for the council. He's very close to liberating the branch family. I won't bore you with that though. I am in love with this village. I can't wait to show you everything." Naoma was like a kid in a candy store. It was highly amusing.

"Alright," Ren said before she turned to Hana, "This is okay with you isn't it? I don't want to trouble you."

"No, it's fine," Hana replied gently, "It'll be a nice change. If I wasn't up to the task, Kakashi-dono wouldn't have given it to me. Shall we be off then?"

XXXXXXXX

Ren's tour of Konohagakure was eventful and breathtaking. Everywhere she went people were smiling and happy. Hanabi had latched onto Ren's arm through the whole thing while Naoma carried Kenta and the others trailed behind them. Ren was astonished by the Uchiha district but the time spent there was awkward. Ren couldn't meet Sasuke's gaze and he seemed to be having similar difficulties. Hinata had taken Kabuto's warning in stride while Sasuke had wanted to kill him upon sight until he was reminded by Hana that the snake medic was now considered a foreign shinobi and that such an assault would land him in prison as well as risk a war. Hinata had promised to meet up with Ren a few days to spend time with her. The party had left and ran into TenTen who was on her way home to get ready for a date with Kiba. TenTen set a girl's day with Ren the next morning.

That was what lead Kabuto, Ren, and Hana to knock on the weapons mistress's door at nine in the morning. Naoma was babysitting Kenta with Matsuri's help so Ren could enjoy time with other adults. She was looking forward to it but it also made her nervous; she still hated leaving her baby boy. "Maybe she's not home," Hana offered when there was no reply.

"Maybe," Ren muttered softly, "But she said she'd be here."

"Maybe you should knock harder," Kabuto suggested.

Ren knocked on the door harder and a loud **THUMP~** was heard from within the apartment. The three ninja looked at each other. Kabuto shrugged and Hana attempted to peek in a window. The door opened and TenTen came into view. She was a hot-mess. Her brown hair was loose in its buns, her brown eyes were puffy and red, her cheeks were stained from tears that had dried hours beforehand, and she was clearly slept in her pink sundress. Everyone stared at her wide-eyed and she stared back as if she weren't seeing any of them. "What happened," Hana asked as soon as she recovered.

Her question had been enough to bring Ren back to reality as well. "Are you okay, TenTen-san," Ren asked softly as she placed her hand gently on TenTen's shoulder in an attempt to comfort the woman. TenTen looked between the three and tears began to fill in her eyes. "Okay then," Ren said before she bit her lip. She looked to Hana and then Kabuto. "You two wait here? I think TenTen-san and I need to have some one on one time."

Kabuto opened his mouth to protest but a sharp glare from Hana shut him up immediately. TenTen stepped back to allow Ren to enter her home and then closed the door gently. It was a strange sight for Kabuto and Hana. They both knew TenTen to be tough and sometimes abrasive. She looked so defeated and unlike herself that it was scary. Kabuto had a very hard time believing she was the same girl he had met the day before —and during the chunin exams but he had forgotten her. Hana simply looked at the door with pity wondering what her idiot brother had done this time.

Ren helped TenTen sit down on her couch and sat next to her. "What's wrong, TenTen-san," Ren asked softly. She didn't want to push her too far, they had only just met and she knew it wasn't any of her business. She couldn't just leave her this way though. She had been so cheerful that her current state was absolutely depressing for the Kazekage's wife.

"I'm not pretty enough. I'm not girly enough. I let him in and… and it was a big mistake. I should have kept him at a distance just like I do every other boy… I'm such an idiot," TenTen told Ren before she let her face drop into her hands.

Ren bit her lip. Comforting people was not her strong suit. She really just didn't know how. Her mother was loving but Ren had still learned to cry on her own and get over everything herself. "You aren't an idiot, TenTen-san, and you are pretty. You're beautiful and you don't have to act girly. You just have to be yourself. Who hurt you and what did he do?"

"Inuzuka Kiba," the weapon's mistress groaned out as she furiously rubbed the tears from her eyes with her palms. "I was supposed to go on a date with him last night. It was supposed to be romantic and I was going to meet him at the top of the Hokage Monument. I was sure he was going to tell me he loved me last night. We'd been together for a year. I walked by Haruno Sakura's house, like I always do to get there, and I heard his voice from inside. I know I shouldn't have looked in the window but I'm a kunoichi and I was curious. I hopped up on the roof and peeked into the window. He was… She was… They were… Oh Ren, how could I be so stupid?" TenTen sobbed and shook her head as if doing so would clear the horrible images from her mind. "He's apparently got a thing for girls with pink hair and a flat chest. I jumped into the window and I know the place smelled like a brewery but even drunk you don't do that to your girlfriend. She had her head on his chest and they were both naked. The room reeked of sex. I told Kiba I was done with him and left the same way I had entered. He didn't even chase after me. How am I going to tell my best friend that his girlfriend is sleeping with my ex-boyfriend?"

Well that was certainly not anything Ren had expected. She couldn't relate to the situation at all. Gaara was the only man she had ever been with and he didn't cheat on her. She sometimes got jealous over Matsuri but that wasn't the same. Ren pulled TenTen into a hug and she collapsed against Ren. It was like she suddenly lost every bone in her body. Ren felt awful, her heart ached for TenTen. They were supposed to have a fun day talking about Neji. This was not how this was supposed to go. "I'm so sorry," Ren muttered as she gently stroked the back of TenTen's head. Her hair was surprisingly soft, Ren unintentionally noticed. "It'll be okay. I know things feel terrible right now but you deserves so much better and so does Lee-sensei. I can't believe Sakura would do something like that. I'm here for you and all of your other friends will be too. This is not your fault, it's theirs. They should be the one to tell Lee. Give them a small chance to and then if they don't, we'll tell him together, okay?" Ren felt TenTen nod. The two remained like that while TenTen cried herself into exhaustion and Ren could do nothing more than be there for her new friend. _"I really hope they're adult enough to tell Lee themselves. Lee and TenTen do not deserve this. No one deserves this. I wish I could do something more for her,"_ Ren thought.

Meanwhile:

Hana was glaring daggers at Kabuto. If looks could kill he would die, be resurrected, and then die again. "What do you think they're talking about," Kabuto asked. He had to get the Inuzuka's attention on something other than the person he used to be. People just didn't get it. Everyone's lives improved after the Infinite Tsukuyomi incident. People were awakened to their true selves. Why could so few people see that Kabuto truly wished to atone for his sins?

"Something tells me it involves my dobe of a brother," Hana muttered. Her eyes didn't soften but her tone was one of sadness. "He came home smelling like someone else last night so I don't think TenTen is still his girlfriend. Poor girl. He came home looking a mess but Kaa-san just shrugged it off so I did too. I wish we could hear what was being said in there. I'd like to know if I need to castrate my kid brother or not."

Kabuto chuckled a little. The fact that TenTen was clearly upset wasn't amusing but the idea of Hana tormenting her younger brother was. He could just picture the beautiful Inuzuka Hana pinning her brother down to rid him of all sexual desires. "I'd pay to see that," Kabuto muttered though he hadn't meant to. He needed to recover so he stated, "I'm sure he's not as big of a brat as he used to be though, ne? Maybe he had a good reason for why they aren't together anymore."

"It's not likely," Hana countered, "TenTen is good for him. He actually started to care if he bathed or not. The whole house was thankful when they started dating. We live with dogs everywhere but at least they lick themselves clean. Kiba could smell like a pig for weeks."

"Sounds charming," Kabuto chuckled out again. "Well, in any case we aren't going to know anything until the door opens again and Ren walks out of there." Kabuto sat down on the steps in front of TenTen's door. "Might as well get comfortable. It could be a while. Believe me, Ren is too good of a person for it not to."

Hana sighed and looked to the Haimaru brothers. The traitors were already laying on the ground at the bottom of the steps. The eldest brother even had his head on Kabuto's foot. _"Little traitor,"_ Hana thought as she sneered and sat next to Kabuto, unfortunately that meant her arm was touching his. She stiffened at the contact. "Why is it that you're the one that doesn't leave Ren's side," Hana questioned. She had to get her mind off of the fact that her arm was touching Kabuto's.

Kabuto frowned and adjusted his glasses. He didn't know how much of that he could answer. He decided to go with a vague but truthful answer. It seemed to be the safest route. "I saved Ren's life before she had Kenta. I was also the medic who delivered him. Ren can't seem to find herself very far from me, I'm afraid. It's like some invisible force keeps her close."

Hana wasn't sure she was buying it. It sounded so cryptic to her. Her brother and probably her mother would've settled for such an answer but Hana was one of the most intelligent Inuzuka's around. She would not settle for an answer like that. "She doesn't stick to the Kazekage like that though," she pointed out.

"Yes, I know," Kabuto replied. He had to choose his words very carefully. Years of service to the snake sannin had trained him for situations such as these, though, so he was confident he could do just fine. "He is a very busy man and sometimes she can't go to the places he does. I'm capable of protecting her and her son while Kazekage-sama is away. When he is around I do not stay quite so close to her but I'm always there."

"I see," Hana responded suspiciously. Something strange was going on and she just didn't understand what. What could the Kazekage be thinking when he allowed this man near his wife? She certainly wouldn't allow another woman within ten meters of her husband, if she had one.

"Do you go everywhere with your ninken," Kabuto asked when he noticed how her brow furrowed. She probably hadn't noticed her facial expression had changed to reflect her confusion.

"Well, yes. They're my companions and we look out for each other." Hana frowned at his sudden question.

"I'm Ren's companion. It is the same really. The difference is I'm not a dog, I'm human."

Hana didn't like the reference. "You're a snake," She muttered.

"Well that may or may not be true. Believe it or not, people do change. If I wished to attack you, your village, Sunagakure, where ever… I could do it. I'm rather fond of the peace though. It's a good chance to reflect. Unfortunately our time of peace may be drawing an end and, believe it or not, I'm one of the only people who can help prevent it." Kabuto glanced at Hana from the corner of his eye. She was staring at him with disgust and possibly wonder in her eyes. He fought the urge to smirk. Disgust wasn't what he wanted to see… but wonder… wonder would be a good thing, a very good thing.

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**Ren Note 2: **It's really hard to decide where the lemon ends and begins... Anyone else ever have that problem? Sorry if I've confused anyone! D:


	14. Ch 13: Leaf Lessons

**Ren Note:** So... I am _very_ aware of how long this took to get out... And I could give you all my excuses (because I do have them) but with the pain I feel knowing that I didn't get this out at a reasonable time, I will not waste your time with them. Just know that I am sorry. This story is no where near finished... and you eagle-eye viewers will realize that this chapter is shorter than the most recent ones... That's on purpose. I cannot keep putting 30 page chapters out... It's just not possible for me right now. It may just mean that the story takes longer (more chapters) to complete. I hope you all are alright with that. Thank you to everyone who favorited, followed, and reviewed. I honestly don't know RaRa and I would have moved to get this chapter out like we did (so sorry!) without them nagging my email. Thanks for that. I love you guys. Enjoy.

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Chapter Thirteen:

Gaara sat in a meeting room within the Hokage Tower between the Hokage and Mizukage. He had been staring out one of the many windows most of the time and only spoke when necessary; his mind just wasn't there. The meeting had taken a grim turn once the topic of Otogakure was brought up. "We've taken care of the reported hideout in Iwagakure," Kurotsuchi stated from her position at the round table, effectively drawing Gaara's attention to the meeting at hand, "We suffered no casualties and all documents within the hideout were destroyed before the tunnels were collapsed."

"The second hideout we found was also destroyed," Darui announced, "Unfortunately we lost two of our shinobi during the raid. One was from my village and the other was from the Mist. Everyone within the hideout was disposed of except the scientist that had hidden within one of the labs. He's been brought here to be interrogated in front of us after this meeting."

"There was a raid scheduled in the Land of Water last night that will hopefully be completed by this evening," Chojuro informed the group.

Gaara glanced over at Kakashi. He suddenly felt like he was the only one who wasn't ordering raids yet. The Hokage had two going on within the Land of Fire. Gaara was slacking and decided he should write a letter to Baki for advice. His decision to be cautious was putting him behind everyone else; soon they would believe he wasn't truly trying to remain in the alliance. Consulting Baki felt like a good course of action to the Kazekage. He knew that he needed to step up his game.

A knock on the door interrupted the meeting and everyone went silent. "Enter," Kakashi called to the door blankly.

Kotetsu and Izumo, the jonin Gaara remembered from his arrival, entered the room. "Forgive us, Kage-samas," Izumo pleaded with a bow.

Kotetsu mimicked the gesture before adding in, "We just received news from the squad that was dealing with the first hideout within the Land of Fire." Kotetsu was panting and it was clear both men had been running.

"Tatami Iwashi was fatally injured and the rest of the squad was forced to retreat," Izumo panted out for Kotetsu.

A tense silence fell over the room. This made a total of three deaths so far and now that one of the squads had to withdraw the situation felt heavier. Gaara fought the need to rub the stress from his neck, with any luck Ren could help him with that later, but now was not the time. It would display emotion and weakness and the young Kazekage would not do that in front of his peers if he could help it.

Izumo and Kotetsu stood staring at the group of kages. Neither knew what to do. They looked to Kakashi but he wasn't looking at them, he was looking at the papers in front of him as if they held all the answers. Izumo swallowed hard and stated, "We will take our leave now. If any more information comes in we will return."

Kakashi waved them off and they left. All eyes fell to the Hokage. The death of one of his men was the freshest. Kakashi rubbed his face through his mask and swallowed hard, not that anyone could see. "We need to make better preparations for this," Kakashi stated more calmly than he felt. Iwashi had been a guard to the Hokages since the third. He would be greatly missed and was three years younger than the current Hokage.

"I agree," Gaara said. Kakashi was always very supportive of him, as Tsunade had been. He would stand by Kakashi's decision on this matter as long as he felt it was the right move. Gaara knew they needed to change something. Casualties were to be expected but that didn't make them easier to swallow. Any preventive measures needed to be taken.

"What should we do," Chojuro asked with his head turned slightly to the side.

"We need to increase our numbers and take down this threat before it becomes too great," Kurotsuchi demanded as she lightly pounded her fist on the table in front of her.

"We cannot increase our numbers without drawing a large amount of attention to this matter. You've all wanted it to remain fairly quiet and we cannot do that if we make this bigger," Darui reasoned as he stroked his chin. His whole posture was more relaxed than anyone else in the room.

"Perhaps it is time we tell our people and the smaller lands what is going on. With the intelligence Yakushi Kabuto has shared with us we will need their trust and permission to enter their lands anyway. This threat is very real," Gaara informed the group while sitting up a little straighter, "We need to bring it to light."

"With the information Kabuto has shared with us we know of over two dozen hideouts remaining that we have yet to destroy. Many of those lie within the Land of Waves, Rivers, Hot Water, Frost, and Grass. We need to inform our neighbors of this threat and do our best to neutralize it before it gets out of hand. I have lost a man today, Darui has lost one, and so has Chojuro. I realize that on a grand scale three lives are not the end of the world but they will weigh heavily upon our villages. If we can prevent more deaths by bringing our knowledge of this threat into the open for our neighbors then that's what we should do," Kakashi announced with a blank look on his face but a slight twinkle of determination in his dark eyes.

"What if some of them side with Oto," Kurotsuchi questioned with her dark brows furrowed. "There are rumors of Sound ninja attempting to recruit from smaller villages."

"We should remove all known bases from those lands before we bring this to light," Chojuro suggested with a shrug.

"We can create an ANBU black ops organization for the Allied Shinobi Forces to handle those hideouts," Darui proposed. He frowned slightly and added in, "I will apply my best shinobi to it."

Gaara's heart clinched in his chest. Some of his best included Temari, Isago, Kankuro, Ren, and Baki. There were others like Matsuri and Sari that would be fine to use in a pinch but if the Raikage was giving his best, Gaara knew he would need to do the same. Gaara didn't know if he could do that. So many things could go wrong with these missions. Could he send Temari so close to her wedding? Isago was already involved in missions involving the hideouts and wouldn't be an option. Kankuro could do it easily but, as his brother, Gaara was skeptical. Baki had been doing missions like these since before Gaara was born practically. The biggest problem lied with Ren though, his wife and the mother of his child. She wasn't on the active roster at the moment and that could buy him some time but he knew it was inevitable. He would have to ask her to join the Allied ANBU.

"I can put my best shinobi forward as well," Chojuro threw in. He interrupted Gaara's thoughts. Two of the five were giving their best. Did he have a choice not to do the same?

Kankuro frowned from behind Gaara. The other guards seemed unaffected by this declaration but the puppet master was uneasy. He knew whom Gaara would have to send. Temari was so close to her wedding date; it didn't seem fair sending her but he knew Gaara would have little choice. Baki could handle it and so could he. Kankuro glanced at his brother and his frown intensified. Gaara's whole face was much paler than usual and the dark circles around his eyes suddenly seemed darker.

"Are you alright," Kakashi asked lowly as he leaned closer to Gaara. The Kazekage's face suddenly looked worse for wear and the Hokage was worried about his young comrade.

"Yes," Gaara muttered while forcing himself to relax. Gaara cleared his throat. "Will any of you be sending your siblings or wives into this ANBU unit," Gaara asked flatly.

Kankuro stiffened at the mention of Gaara's wife. They had just had Kenta and their marriage was already on rocks. This would not go well, not at all.

A light went on in Kakashi's mind. He now understood what had Gaara so upset but he couldn't voice his opinion on the matter because Darui cut him off, "I will be sending C and Omoi, they are like blood to me. There are many shinobi I will recommend that I am close with."

Kurotsuchi sighed softly and all eyes fell on her. "I don't exactly have anyone that close to me worth sending but I will be sending my best, no matter what relation they are to me."

Kakashi stared at Gaara and sighed quietly. The poor Kazekage was stuck in a rut and he just couldn't bail him out of this one. "I will be sending Nara Shikamaru, Sai, Haruno Sakura, Inuzuka Kiba, Aburame Shino, Mitarashi Anko, Yamato, Rock Lee, TenTen, Shiranui Genma, Yamashiro Aoba, Yamanaka Ino, Akimichi Choji and Shizune," Kakashi informed the group. He half hoped that by sending so many of his best that he could spare Gaara.

"What about your Hyuga's," Kurotsuchi asked with a perfectly shaped brow raised.

Kakashi inwardly groaned. Everyone always wanted the Hyuga. "The only Hyuga that I feel would be fitting for this mission is dead," Kakashi stated flatly. He couldn't send Hinata on this one. She was in danger within his village. It would be like handing her to them on a silver platter no matter how capable she was. He was equally uncomfortable sending Sasuke because he was a target as well.

Everyone nodded in agreement and all eyes fell upon the Kazekage once more. "I will send Baki, Sabaku Temari, Sabaku Kankuro, and Sabaku Ren," He stated blandly. Chojuro and Kurotsuchi both gasped while Darui and Kakashi stared at him with uncertainty. "We are all sending our best," Gaara reminded them, "My siblings and wife are the best. Baki has been through missions like this before. My request in exchange for sending my wife is that you all allow her to enjoy her mother's wedding and give her time to train. I will be the one to tell her and my sister that they will be taking on this mission. Baki will also be unavailable until I return to Sunagakure."

"Gaara," Kankuro began his objection but Kakashi cut him off. What was his little brother thinking? The puppet master could only shake his head and sigh. There was nothing he could do.

"Are you sure about this, Gaara," Kakashi asked him gently.

"Yes. I know the risks of leaving this threat unattended and will not allow my personal feelings to compromise this. We are all risking our friends, families, and comrades for this. I will not be any different," Gaara stated. All eyes remained on him and, if he were better at reading people, he would have sworn he saw respect in their eyes.

XXXXXXXX

Choji, Kankuro, and Gaara walked through the market district of Konohagakure. "You're sure she was supposed to come here with TenTen," Choji asked with a mouth full of chips as they searched the whole district for the third time.

"Yes. They were supposed to go shopping and reminisce about Neji," Gaara stated while looking around.

"Yeah well, I don't think they're here," Kankuro muttered before letting out a sigh of boredom. The events of the meeting were weighing heavily on them all but it was clear they were all trying not to let it get to them. The puppet master felt like he needed a distraction from this mess.

"Let's start asking people if they've seen them," Choji suggested. He grabbed another handful of chips and shoved them into his mouth.

"Great idea," Kankuro exclaimed as he stopped walking and turned to a pretty brunette. _"Hello distraction,"_ the puppet master thought to himself. He placed one arm up on the wall next to him and leaned against it, thoroughly invading the woman's personal space. "Hello there beautiful," he said in his most seductive voice, "Has anyone ever told you that you have the most beautiful brown eyes they've ever seen?"

Choji scoffed at Kankuro and Gaara just kept walking. "It's better to just leave him when he starts acting that way. She will beat him eventually," Gaara informed his plump escort.

Unfortunately Choji wasn't able to leave Kankuro or Gaara unattended. He caught himself almost voicing what a drag this was, but held his tongue. Shikamaru was his best friend but that didn't mean Choji had to talk like him. Luckily Choji saw Yamato exiting a shop empty handed. "Hey Captain Yamato," Choji called to the man as he waved.

Yamato blinked once and then walked over to Choji with his hands tucked in his pockets. "Hey there, Choji, what's up?"

"We're trying to find Kazekage-sama's wife and Kankuro-san has gotten distracted. Do you think you could keep an eye on him so that Kazekage-sama and I can continue our search? The Hokage is expecting us back soon and we can't afford to wait around on Kankuro-san," Choji explained as nicely as he could. He knew Yamato would understand the difficulties of being an escort to foreign visitors so he was certain the wood-user would accept.

Yamato glanced over at Kankuro and a sadistic smile formed on his lips. "I would love to." He turned his attention to Gaara. "Do you mind if I teach him a little bit about respect for females?" The shadowing on Yamato's face made him look very intimidating. Choji almost cowered at it.

Gaara was unaffected and shrugged passively. "Do what you will but return him to me alive," Gaara said flatly.

"Will do," Yamato laughed out before approaching the puppet master.

"Maybe we should try TenTen's house," Choji offered.

"Lead the way," Gaara requested. He wasn't mean about it but he was growing weary of trying to find his wife amongst all this chaos. He needed to get both her and Kabuto and head to the interrogation. It was of utmost importance and they couldn't afford to be late.

XXXXXXXX

Choji and Gaara were greeted with laughter before they even turned down TenTen's street. Choji's brows furrowed at the sound of Inuzuka Hana's bark-like laugh covering the light and low laugh of Yakushi Kabuto. Gaara seemed unaffected by it as he just continued walking towards them. The laughter died down as soon as Kabuto and Hana saw Gaara and Choji approaching. The two shared a look that made Choji even uneasier.

"Your meeting's over already, Kazekage-sama," Hana asked sweetly.

"Yes. We are needed at the Interrogation Office. Where's my wife," Gaara questioned flatly.

Hana almost sighed, Kabuto's lips tightened into a flat line, and Choji opened another bag of chips; things could be getting quite interesting and the expansion ninja wanted to make sure he had a snack to enjoy it.

"She's inside with TenTen," Kabuto explained, "We showed up early this morning to find TenTen wasn't well. Ren has been with her all day. We don't know what's going on inside there."

"You've left my wife unattended," Gaara stated.

Hana inhaled sharply and nodded. It hadn't been a question but she answered anyway, "In a sense yes. She's not in any danger or anything. We would have heard a struggle or something if she were. I believe TenTen just really needed the support of a friend and forgot we're out here."

Gaara's gaze was cold as it focused on the Inuzuka female. Her three ninken stood up and got into a defensive position around her to protect her. "I would like to collect my wife now," Gaara stated flatly. The two ninja were seated on the steps so he couldn't pass by them.

"Oh right, stand down boys," Hana told her dogs. She stood and Kabuto did the same. Hana and the brothers walked over to Choji and Kabuto made his way up the steps and leaned against the wall near the door. To the Leaf ninja it looked like he was simply being protective but Gaara knew the real reason was because Kabuto would be walking into an invisible wall if he went too far from Ren.

Gaara stood up straighter and climbed up the steps. He was about to knock on the door when it flung open and he was pulled inside. The action hadn't even registered to Gaara before he heard a lock click and felt arms around his torso. He looked down to see Ren hugging him tightly with a small smile on her face that melted his heart while TenTen stood with her hand on the doorknob. "What's going on," Gaara asked. The whole house was dark with the curtains drawn closed. Had they been in the darkness like this all day? Now Gaara was going to be taking her into an even darker place as soon as they left; he mentally sighed.

Ren smiled bigger up at her husband and released him. TenTen walked back over to her couch and plopped down. "TenTen's had a rough day," Ren told him gently as she fidgeted with the hem of her blouse, "We started out talking about that but then we noticed Hana and Kabuto were getting along and have been spying on them."

"You dragged me in here and locked the door to tell me you've been spying," Gaara deadpanned. His patience was thin despite his love for his wife. They were running late as it was. He needed to get Ren and Kabuto to the Interrogation Office so that Ren would be well informed and Kabuto could confirm any information given.

"Not at all," TenTen informed him while coming to Ren's rescue. Gaara had been giving Ren such an intensely unemotional and negative look that she had to cut in. "We were hoping to ask for a man's perspective on both situations."

Gaara kept his attention on Ren as he listened to TenTen's explanation. He really didn't have time for this but he was slightly curious. Ren was fidgeting under his gaze and seemed overly nervous; that was a rare sight nowadays. "And what are the situations I'm to give my perspective on?"

Ren glanced at TenTen for permission to speak about it. The weapon mistresses nodded and Ren exhaled slowly then inhaled sharply. "Well, ano, you see… Inuzuka Kiba was TenTen's boyfriend, ne? Well last night she saw him in bed with Haruno Sakura. I told her that leaving Kiba was the right move and that it's not her place to tell Lee," Ren stated in a hurry with few pauses to figure out how to word everything.

Gaara blinked. What did they need him for? "That sounds reasonable, moving on," He stated with a blank look on his face.

Ren and TenTen stared at each other exasperated. Both knew that the Kazekage was not going to be much help. TenTen groaned lightly and muttered, "The second part is Hana and Kabuto. We think they like each other."

"They've been sitting outside together all day and we've seen them laughing and smiling more than glaring. I swear Hana-san even blushed once," Ren informed him.

Gaara rubbed the love kanji on his forehead in irritation. Was this what women did with their time? "I thought you were supposed to go shopping and talk about Neji," Gaara commented.

"We were going to but TenTen had a rough night last night with the whole Kiba thing… so we stayed in," Ren explained.

Gaara almost groaned in annoyance. This was wasting so much time. "We can't stay here any longer. We're needed at the Interrogation Office," Gaara told Ren bluntly. He made a mental note to later remind her not to try and play matchmaker.

A hard frown formed on her pink lips and she glanced at TenTen apologetically. "What do you need me there for," Ren asked as she turned her attention back to Gaara.

"We require Kabuto's confirmation on intelligence we acquire," he responded without much thought. He did not wish to inform his wife that she was going to be becoming ANBU and could use the intelligence gathered as well. He wanted to tell her at the right moment, preferably after her mother's wedding.

Ren's heart dropped into her stomach. She should've known it wasn't her he needed. Gaara never needed her for anything. TenTen placed her hand on Ren's shoulder and squeezed gently. "Surely she can stay here with me while you take off with Kabuto? There's no harm in that is there," TenTen pleaded with the Kazekage. Ren almost smiled but she couldn't bring herself to do it. It was amazing how close she had gotten to TenTen in one day. Everyone from the Leaf was so easy to make friends with. She knew this wouldn't work though, Kabuto couldn't go far without her and she couldn't go far without him. She twisted one of the metal bands around her wrist and waited for Gaara to rain on TenTen's parade.

"I wish that I could do that," Gaara told them and it actually sounded like he meant it, "but Ren cannot stray too far from Kabuto. He won't allow that. It's a stipulation of his allegiance to Sunagakure."

There was the lie. The only other people who knew the truth were Kankuro, Temari, Baki, the kages, and the kages' guards. Ren pursed her lips to stifle a sigh that threatened to escape her. "I'll get my things," Ren muttered unenthusiastically and she stepped away from her husband and TenTen.

"I'll see you tomorrow? We can actually go hang out outside my house and maybe spend some time with Lee," TenTen suggested. Ren wasn't masking her disappointment well and TenTen wanted to cheer her up.

"That sounds nice," Ren replied kindly as she handed her bag to Gaara roughly and slipped on her sandals. She was friendly to TenTen but she wasn't going to be nice to Gaara until he pulled the stick out of his ass. She pulled her bag back from Gaara's hands as he stared at her blankly.

_"__What was that about,"_ Gaara asked himself. He couldn't understand why his wife was being so hostile. Did she not realize that he was bringing her along because he needed her to know the information gathered? Then again, he didn't say that. He decided he really needed to stop assuming everyone understood why he did everything he did. He needed to be more expressive; that would be a difficult task.

"See you later," TenTen called to them as they headed out the door with Gaara leading the way.

"See you soon," Ren replied before shutting the door.

XXXXXXXX

Ren stood in a dimly lit room underneath the streets of Konohagakure. She wondered if its citizens had any idea that they were walking over this room of despair and darkness. In the center of the room the man captured during one of the raids was chained to the floor and ceiling spread eagle. He had plain brown hair that reached his chin, amber eyes, and lightly tanned skin. His clothes had been white at one time but that was no longer the case; they had several stains of dirt, blood, and other unknown bodily fluids. His face was stubbly from being unable to shave after his capture and he looked every bit like Ren imagined the prisoner would be.

She didn't realize she was trembling until Kabuto grabbed her hand discreetly. Her heart was racing and she noticed that she was scowling. The disgust she felt for the man before her nearly consumed her. This man represented everything wrong with the world. He was willing to do unspeakable things to people for his own gain. His aura held no sense of humility or humanity. He believed himself better. Ren gritted her teeth. "Ren, calm down," Kabuto whispered as he leaned closer to her. Her byakugan was active and she had to close her eyes and force herself to breath for it to recede.

Beside her Gaara was oblivious to Kabuto holding Ren's hand and to her inner struggle for control of herself. He felt hate and killer intent all around him without realizing that some of it was coming from his own wife. His own emotions were shockingly calm. He was ready to get on with this; he was ready to know what information this criminal held within his mind.

Yamanaka Ino entered the room and all eyes darted towards her. "Sorry I'm late," Ino apologized with a bow, "I had a hard time breaking away from the hospital. I'm ready to start as soon as you all are." Ino glanced around the room and raised a perfectly shaped brow at Kabuto and Ren. _"What is going on with them," _Ino asked herself. She shifted her gaze to Gaara who was staring at her blankly. She mentally shrugged; she could talk to Ren about it later on. At this moment of time she needed to dive into their captive's mind and collect all information about this uprising Otogakure threat.

Everyone was silent as Ino transferred her mind into the man's. Ren took the chance to glance at Gaara and then Kabuto. She was holding the wrong man's hand. A gentle tug freed Ren's hand from the snake medic's. He looked at her for only a moment before his attention was back on the scrolls of information being collected by Ino. Ren shifted her weight to the other foot and leaned a little closer to Gaara. He didn't look at her or acknowledge that she was there in any way. Ren's thoughts went on a rampage, _"Am I being too needy? Why doesn't he at least look at me? I know I was moody with him but… but… I'm being a baby… and can't help it. I just want things to go back to being slightly normal." _Ren swallowed through the tightness in her throat and returned her attention to the prisoner.

Gaara spared a glance at Ren from the corner of his eye. She looked completely miserable and he began to question his decision to bring her into the room. He could have made sure Kabuto was standing near the door or left Kabuto and Ren up in the office. They didn't need to see this part; it just made things easier in the long run. With a light, soundless sigh Gaara reached over and brushed Ren's fingers with his own digits. She glanced at him and their eyes met. He watched a light blush tint his wife's cheeks as he laced her fingers between hers. He was trying his hardest to reassure her that everything would be fine without the words to express it. He needed to make things up to her and the list was continuously growing. Why was he being this way? The stress was really getting to him; it was so unlike him.

Ren and Gaara remained silent for the hours that followed. Yamanaka Ino was quite gifted in the ways of mind transfers. She held the jutsu far longer than any of the foreign kages expected her to. The whole room was as still as death except for the leaf shinobi who were reviewing the information Ino was collecting. Occasionally they would summarize what was discovered for the group and everyone would look to Kabuto for confirmation. Ren was glad she had released his hand when she had; that would have made for a very bad situation. She somehow doubted anyone would see the action as one of comfort and friendship. Her thoughts did not linger on that detail for long, however, because as more and more intelligence became known Ren felt sicker and sicker. These people were monstrous.

XXXXXXXX

Ren spent three days sulking about the apartment in Konohagakure. She had received visits from TenTen, Naoma, Hanabi, and even Lee but they did little to bring her comfort. The things she witnessed from the interrogation left her in a state of distress. The Sannin's ex-apprentice had confirmed every detail they collected: the things they did to people, the locations they were using, and their plans. It was all utterly disgusting and she couldn't talk to anyone about it. Ren couldn't look at Kabuto the same now, knowing that he had once been a part of similar activities. She was unable to make herself eat and sleep was out of reach. Everyone worried about the Kazekage's wife but no one worried more than her husband.

Gaara stood in the doorway to their bedroom staring at Ren. She had Kenta cradled in her arms while he suckled her breast for sustenance. Gaara questioned if he had made the right call when he decided to allow her to be in the room. He wasn't sure he was doing the right thing by sending her into the Allied Shinobi ANBU organization either. So much in his life was uncertain and Ren wasn't reacting well to the way he was handling things as it was. How could he tell her she would be leaving their son in his care while she acted as a dangerous shadow? How long would it take for them to stomp out the Otogakure threat? He couldn't send her away again, not after the last time.

Ren glanced up at her husband discreetly; he had been watching her for ten minutes or more without saying a word. She forced a small smile onto her face and tucked some of her long raven hair behind her ear with her free hand. "Gaara," she called to him gently. He blinked his pale blue-green orbs and tilted his head to the side ever so slightly. She had originally thought he was looking at her but now she felt he had been looking through her instead. "What is it," she asked timidly. She was afraid of what answer he may give her. His distance and stress was weighing in on her too; she felt like she was walking on eggshells around him.

"Your mother's wedding is tomorrow," Gaara stated flatly. That had not been on his mind but it was a safe topic; at least he hoped it was.

Ren sighed softly and glanced down at her baby boy, her little prince. "I know," she muttered quietly, "I'll be ready for it, I promise."

She didn't sound very convincing to the Kazekage. "You've been spending a great deal of time in here. Would you like to go outside after Kenta is fed? It would do you both some good," he suggested gently. He tried very hard to make sure his concern for her was reflected in his voice and hoped he had succeeded.

Ren sighed yet again and closed her eyes. "I don't know, Gaara," Ren said before biting her bottom lip. He moved to sit beside her and ruffled his son's crimson hair before placing his hand on her knee. "I don't know what to do. I knew things would be bad with the threat of Otogakure uprising," Ren admitted, "but I never expected them to be doing so many horrible things. It makes me want to do horrible, terrible things to them; just to show them what it's like. The idea of Kenta growing up in a world where people treat each other that way is so disturbing. I know hiding in here won't change that but I don't know what else to do."

Gaara's breath caught in his chest. The raw emotion lacing her voice caught him off guard. He had also been thinking about his son's future. He decided now was as good a time as any to reveal another devastating factor to his beautiful wife. "The first kage meeting I attended brought a new tactic to the table," Gaara said slowly. He knew his wife could keep up but he was trying to buy some time before everything went to hell. Ren stared at him with confusion showing in her pale eyes. Gaara wondered, briefly, how long she had the dark bags under her eyes. She clearly was not sleeping or at least not sleeping well. The dark rings around his eyes worked for him, they did not work for his small wife. "We will be forming an ANBU organization that will deal with hideouts out of our jurisdictions. They will be secretively infiltrating other lands and destroying bases within them. All of the kages are offering their best, most promising shinobi for this task. I will be sending Temari, Kankuro, Baki, you, and several others. I cannot let my personal feelings and desires compromise this goal. We need this threat taken care of so that he," Gaara nodded his head towards Kenta, "doesn't have to deal with this."

Ren's heart stopped for a second. It was like someone had taken a hammer to her heart and it shattered like a mirror. This was too much. Every time she thought she could live a normal life more and more chaos came into it. She would have to become an ANBU? The woman allowed her head to drop slightly in defeat. How could Gaara be sending her away again? Was he tired of her already? "When do I leave," she asked instead of the questions she really wanted to know.

Gaara blinked at the question, this felt familiar and he didn't like it at all. "You will have time. We are working out the details regarding the organization itself plus the others have agreed to give you time to do what you need to, to be ready for this mission. The sooner we act the better but we need everyone properly trained for missions like this. I don't want you to go," Gaara told her quietly, "I wish this wasn't how things kept going. We will get through this though and we will make this world a safer place for our son."

Ren felt like his 'we' was really just her. She was the one that would be away from their son, she was the one who would be in harm's way, and she was the one who would be serving the Allied Shinobi Forces. Her empty stomach clinched into knots. This moment was bittersweet for the illegitimate Hyuga; she had wanted to join ANBU and protect the fourth Kazekage as a child. With Rasa's death Ren had given up on that dream, mostly, and because she became the Kazekage's wife she never expected to see battle again. Yes, she had begun training immediately after returning to Sunagakure to get back into shape; but she hardly expected any need for it except to vent her own frustrations and keep her piece of mind. This changed everything for her.

Gaara watched Ren's face closely. She had paled and her expression went blank. He knew very well just how stoic his lovely wife could be under the right circumstances; this was not a good sign for him. She was not taking this news well at all. How could he remedy the situation? He didn't have a clue and suspected nothing he said would help. "Things will work out," he told her, "We cannot ignore this and I wish there was another way but I cannot think of one, none of us can."

Ren swallowed hard and stared into her son's pale blue-green eyes. He had inherited her kekkei genkai but a tint of his father's eye color. What would she do, being away from him so long? She would miss so many things if this took too long. Ren closed her own pale eyes and sighed softly. She didn't like this at all but knew she could not refuse. Others would be giving up their lives as well. Plans would have to be put on hold, families left behind, and too many people would have to give up on their dreams for the time being. Ren scowled, finally allowing some emotion to show on her face when it dawned on her that Temari, her darling sister-by-marriage and best friend, would have to postpone her wedding. "What about Temari," Ren asked. She hoped Gaara would follow her train of thought but didn't hold her breath. He wasn't as dense in terms of social situations anymore but sometimes Ren was sure even she wouldn't be able to follow her own thoughts if she weren't inside her head.

Gaara blinked twice at her and nodded. "The wedding will have to be postponed. Both Temari and Shikamaru will be involved in this. I haven't told her yet but I will when the time is right. I know that I do not have to remind you," he told her with his non-existent brows furrowed, "but because this is ANBU your ranking and missions are to be kept out of everyone's knowledge. You're going to be a secretive shadow moving within foreign lands."

"I know what ANBU is," Ren cut in. She started to bounce her leg up and down until she realized she was shaking Kenta as well. The movement stopped and she offered a silent apology to her bundle of joy.

"I know that you know, I just said that I know I don't have to remind you. I'm going to be reminding everyone, even Baki," Gaara growled out lowly. He hadn't wanted to upset her further yet he had managed to do so. "As I was saying," He said before clearing his throat, "The plan is to destroy all bases within those lands before we bring the situation to life for those smaller villages."

Ren nodded and looked away from her husband. Kenta seemed to be done eating and let out a yawn that should have cracked his jaw. With a sigh Ren made herself decent and sat Kenta up before patting his back gently. Would they fight in front of Kenta? Ren prayed not; she didn't want that for her son. "I get it," Ren said softly. She knew she would have to bend to Gaara or they would both end up breaking. "It's so much to take in, Gaara," she admitted reluctantly.

Kenta finally burped and it satisfied Ren enough to stop patting him. The infant stared up at his father with owlish eyes and cooed slightly. Both Gaara and Ren looked at each other, both unable to hide the small smiles that tugged at their lips. "What are you doing, Kenta," Gaara asked as he gently grabbed the baby's hand. Kenta smiled up at his father and Ren could feel her heart melting to mush. The Kazekage picked Kenta up off his wife's lap and placed him upright against his chest with Kenta's head resting on his shoulder. Gaara's large hands, in comparison to his son, rubbed up and down the baby's back as he continued to coo. "Everything will be fine," Gaara whispered to Kenta but made sure it was loud enough for Ren to hear too. A smile spread across Ren's face and Gaara knew he had brought her some comfort.

XXXXXXXX

Another wedding attended and another reception notched in her belt, Ren was drained. The ceremony had been beautiful and elegant but so traditional that Ren felt like she had stepped back in time. Hiashi was now her stepfather, despite what others believed. Ren was walking through the streets of Konoha's market district with Kenta, Kabuto, and Hana in tow. The stars were bright despite the city's soft lights and the air was crisp and cool. She had needed to get away from the apartment that suddenly felt far too small. "I'm sorry for dragging you two out here," She said as she glanced over her shoulder at Kabuto and Hana.

"Hey don't worry about it," Hana said with a friendly smile, "Fresh air will do all of us some good. The Hyuga's, for being sticks in the mud, sure throw eventful parties. I still can't believe Hinata got so drunk; she used to be such a quiet girl before she married the Uchiha. I'd take a long walk after a party like that over sitting outside a door any day."

Kabuto nodded in agreement. He was studying Ren's back intently, wondering what was going on in her mind. She had been acting strangely for about a week and he couldn't put his finger on the problem. "It's a beautiful night," Kabuto commented.

"Yes it is," Ren said as she glanced up at the stars. Kenta, who was fast asleep in his mother's arms, gave a small gurgling sound, which caused Ren to shift how she was holding him to wipe the drool from his mouth with the sleeve of her jade green kimono. He was the spitting image of his father, no question. Ren couldn't help but smile; she and Gaara had made this amazing little person who, while he brought stress into their lives, filled their hearts with pride and love. She never knew she could love anyone as much as she loved her son.

"Ren," a feminine voice called from the woman's left. She turned to see Temari standing with Shikamaru waving at her. Ren waved back as the duo approached them. Temari fell into step with Ren and Shikamaru walked back with Hana and Kabuto. "I've been looking for you," Temari told her sister-in-law quietly. Ren raised an eyebrow. Temari's whole aura was off, her brows were furrowed, and her lovely lips were sporting a frown. "Gaara just told me about our newest assignments," she elaborated, "I can't believe this. I felt like life was finally on track and now they throw this at us."

Ren and Temari both sighed at the same time; both thinking how awful things were going to be. "We need to try to be positive," Ren muttered, "I am having a hard time doing so myself but if we make up our minds that this is going to be a disaster then it will be. I wish we didn't have to deal with this. I thought after the Fourth Great Shinobi War things would be peaceful for longer. I suppose this is the price we pay for ignoring Orochimaru's existence." Ren closed her eyes for a split second before she realized she would need those to see where she was going. Perhaps she was more tired than she thought; she suddenly felt completely drained.

"You're right. Part of me wants to blame the Leaf Village for it but I know it was the whole Allied Shinobi Force's fault as a whole. Sasuke killed Orochimaru, brought Konoha his body, but we didn't take measures about his research," Temari paused and rubbed her cheeks with the palms of her hands, "We should have thought about the possibility of his past partners picking up where he left off."

Ren nodded and focused her chakra to her eyes. The trio behind them was being strangely quiet and she couldn't help but wonder why. She mused to herself, _"How did I go so long without using the byakugan? I'm using it for everything now… be it seeing through walls to check on Kenta or simply check my back."_ Shikamaru was in her blind spot, mostly, so she couldn't tell what he was doing but Ren watched as Kabuto's hand gently grazed against Hana's. She could practically see the dog-nin suck in a gasp of air. A small smile graced Ren's lips and she deactivated her bloodline limit.

Temari watched her sister in confusion. If only she could read minds! Temari glanced over her shoulder at Shikamaru who was looking at the sky. _"Figures. When it comes to battles he's amazingly observant but you get him in his home village and his attention goes right to the sky,"_ the wind mistress thought to herself. He would be no help to her in this situation. "Are you about ready to head back to the apartment," Temari asked gently. She really wanted to talk to Ren alone; completely alone without people watching and eavesdropping.

Ren glanced at Temari and nodded reluctantly. Going back meant she'd have to face Gaara but her feet were sore from the sandals she was wearing. Kenta needed to be in a crib instead of her arms anyway. "Yeah. Let's head back."

XXXXXXXX

The bedroom Ren and Gaara had been staying is during their visit to Konohagakure was lovely and very modern seeming. Temari sat on an armless chair and stared at Ren who was sitting on the edge of the bed. "I really don't like this," Temari stated, "You're heading back to Sunagakure in two days and I'll be joining you in five. I should be planning my wedding. You and Gaara should be having wild monkey sex. None of this is going right."

Ren blushed bright red at the mention of sex with Gaara. They weren't doing much of that. She bit her lip and looked down at her hands that rested on her lap; her hands were safer to look at than Temari. "I know it's not right," Ren murmured just loud enough for Temari to hear. Kenta was asleep a few feet away so quiet was a necessity. "I don't know about wild sex," Ren winced after the words were out, "but I hate knowing I have to leave Kenta behind and you can't just have your wedding. You've worked so hard to convince Gaara to allow you to marry Shikamaru; it doesn't seem fair to postpone it again. I've been so upset about everything that I've put off hanging out with TenTen and Ino. I suppose, since I do only have two days left here, I should see them. It's all so messed up." Ren's shoulders drooped in defeat.

Temari sighed softly as she stared at her sister. This wasn't how things were supposed to go for either of them. The older wind mistress glanced at her nephew and said softly, "Kenta will be alright with Gaara. He's a good dad. I never thought I'd say that but he really is. We'll all want to complete these missions quickly. I hope this doesn't take as long as everyone seems to think it will."

"I really hope this goes smoothly. We get rid of these bases, bring the situation out in the open, and hope that Otogakure cowers and disbands. It's a long shot but that's the best we can do right now," Ren muttered.

"Yeah, no kidding," Temari agreed. It was going to be hell but at least friends would surround Temari. Gaara would be left alone with his son and Sunagakure. Whose fate was worse? Temari couldn't decide.

XXXXXXXX

"I hear your mom's wedding was beautiful," TenTen commented as she flung another kunai through the air before it hit the center of the target.

"It was. She looked so very happy and everything went perfectly until Hinata got a little too intoxicated," Ren chuckled faintly. It had been hilarious to see her timid younger cousin sister let lose. "She was dancing, talking to anyone and everyone, and tried to put the moves on Sasuke-san right there in the main hall."

TenTen laughed, trying to imagine such a sight. "Please tell me you took pictures," TenTen pleaded.

"I wish I had," Ren admitted with a laugh. She threw three kunai at once, each landing in the center of the targets. She felt like she could do this in her sleep; she had been doing it for so long that it was the most natural thing in the world to her. TenTen pouted and threw six kunai as if to show up Ren. "I kept getting told how much I look like Neji… and how much mother looks like Neji's own mother. They were speculating that Otou-sama was trying to become Hizashi. I wish those people would speak more quietly or better yet, not at all. They love each other and the way that their marriage came to be is no one's business but theirs. I feel like the Hyuga must not have much going on if they can allow themselves such pointless gossip." Ren was feeling bitter about the whole thing.

"You know how elders are. They think they know everything and want to pass along all 'knowledge' they've gathered to anyone who'll listen. Don't let them get to you. They should know how Hiashi-sama and Naoma-san feel about each other; they are living within the compound," TenTen grunted out. She was happy Ren was spending time with her but something felt off about her friend. Ren was smiling and laughing but they didn't reach her eyes. Something was wrong but the weapons mistress knew full well she couldn't ask.

Ren looked up at the sky and nodded. "You're right." She bit her lip gently. "It's time to meet Ino, isn't it? She said around noon," Ren muttered. They had been training all morning while Kenta stayed at home with Gaara. Kabuto and Hana were as far away as possible, behind a tree talking. Ren _knew_ something was going on between the two of them but just couldn't call them out on it.

"Yep. I'll get our kunai, you get the lovebirds," TenTen said gleefully. They both were very aware there was more to Kabuto and Hana than what meets the eye.

Ren activated her byakugan and stared through the tree at the duo. Her stomach clinched and her face felt like it was on fire. Hana was on top of Kabuto straddling him with her tongue down his throat. She quickly released her bloodline limit and shouted out, "Kabuto, Hana-san, we're ready to leave now." No way in hell was she going to go over and interrupt that!

TenTen was about to make a smart remark that she could have done that… but when she turned to see Ren's beet red face she bit her tongue. What the heck just happened? The sound of two people hurrying to their feet filled TenTen's ears. "Oh," She whispered to herself. She chuckled and tucked away her kunai then brought Ren's to her. "So they're together aren't they," TenTen whispered lowly as Kabuto and Hana appeared from behind the tree. Ren nodded as the only acknowledgement of the question. TenTen couldn't help but smirk. It was a decent match; Kabuto was only a year older than Hana and somehow they seemed to work together. A small ting of pain filled TenTen. She had felt that way about herself and Kiba as well.

Ren placed her hand on TenTen's shoulder the second she noticed TenTen's mood failing. What was on her friend's mind? Ren couldn't ask right now. "Let's go meet up with Ino."

The walk to Ino's house was uneventful. Ren and TenTen went into the house while Kabuto and Hana remained outside. The three young women sat in Ino's living room enjoying tea. "So what was up with Kabuto holding your hand the other day," Ino asked bluntly. She couldn't help it; she needed an answer.

Ren choked on her tea and TenTen patted her back while glaring at Ino. "Ino! What are you talking about," TenTen asked gruffly.

"She means when I had to leave your house. I was very upset about the interrogation that Kabuto was trying to keep me grounded. I didn't even notice it really at first," Ren muttered ashamed of herself.

"I thought that he was with Hana," TenTen said with a brow raised.

"Kabuto's with Hana," Ino asked enthusiastically. She could smell gossip!

"Well, yes. I think so," Ren admitted. "Kabuto's a dear friend and I owe him so much. He saved my life and is constantly making sure I'm alright."

"Kind of sounds like he's in love with you," Ino pointed out slyly.

Ren's eyes went wide and it was suddenly harder to breathe. "A-ano, h-h-he d-do-doesn't! W-we're j-ju-just friends!"

Ino laughed and TenTen glared at her. What was Ino's deal?

"I was kidding," Ino said between laughs. Ren's face had been priceless!

"I have an idea," TenTen stated with a grin, "Let me tell you both your fortunes! I love doing that."

Ino and Ren shared a look, both suddenly sobered. "Sure why not," Ren said.

"Yeah, okay. Me first," Ino chimed.

TenTen grinned and held out her hand for Ino's hand. She was given it without hesitation and the weapons mistress studied the lines. "You will live a long life, marry once, have three children, and marry the man of your dreams," TenTen informed Ino finally.

Ino gushed and grinned. She wasn't sure about how she felt about three children but was pleased to know she'd marry Naruto and they'd be together 'til death. "Ren's turn," Ino cheered as she turned to stare at the sand kunoichi.

"O-okay," Ren muttered as she offered TenTen her hand. She felt uneasy about this; this could very well tell her she was going to die during her mission. It had her unnerved.

TenTen watched Ren's face closely for a second then turned her attention to her palm. "Your life will be a long too. You're only going to be married once and obviously you two will be very happy together. Your palm is a little difficult to read in terms of children… It could be five or six, I'm not sure."

Ren felt like she was going to faint. No way was she going to have five or six children. One more would be plenty! She laughed nervously and immediately changed the subject. "I'm really going to miss you two when I leave tomorrow."

"We're going to miss you too," Ino said with tears forming in her eyes.

"Yeah," TenTen said as she wrapped her arms around her friends, "It's going to be a lot less fun around here without you."


	15. Ch 14: A Mother's Gale

**Ren Note:** Hey guys... Remember me? It's been far too long hasn't it? I hope you all enjoy this chapter. It took a lot for RaRa and I to do it. We're both busy and writing time isn't easy to come by lately. I'd like to thank all of my Followers and Favorites! I can't thank Reviewers because we don't have any new ones... but that's okay! If you follow that tells me you want to see where this is going and are interested... and if you favorite... well... You make my whole freaking week! Anyways. Shutting up. Enjoy the chapter!

* * *

**Chapter Fourteen:**

The sun shined brightly against the border between the lands of Fire and Wind; its rays reflected off the sand littered soil. Birds chirped from the Fire side and all was still and desolate on the Wind side. The Kazekage and his traveling companions could see the border just up ahead; their trip had gone smoothly so far and the lovely weather seemed determined to remain. It pleased Gaara to feel the rays of warmth cast down upon his crimson hair and pale skin. "Kazekage-sama," Kabuto called from behind him, interrupting his thoughts. Gaara did not stop walking but turned his head back to look at his wife's friend. It was enough for Kabuto to continue speaking, "I believe we've walked into a genjutsu at some point."

The group stopped walking all at once and looked around themselves. Nothing seemed off except the sun's reflective properties and its unchanging position in the sky. All at once they raised their hands in front of their faces and held up two fingers. "Release," the group said almost in unison. Suddenly the sun wasn't quite as high in the sky and the chirping of birds was no longer audible. The group found themselves surrounded by several dark figures with only their eyes showing.

No orders were given from either side but Gaara, Kankuro, and Kabuto formed a defensive triangle around Ren and Kenta. The kazekage's wife didn't like being in this position but when she glanced down at her son she knew this was for the best. He was staring up at her blankly from his place against her chest; she was thankful she had used the black carrying sling for their travels so that her hands were at least free and she could protect him if need be. Her heart was racing against her chest in a way it hadn't in so long; she was panicking and having a hard time breathing. Protecting Kenta was the only desire she had at that time.

"Who are you and what business do you have with us," Kabuto asked loudly as his dark eyes scanned the enemies in front of him. He took the time to adjust his glasses, pushing them further up his nose and causing a glare to form from the setting sun's rays. He was nervous about this group of enemies; they looked capable and were able to put the whole group in a genjutsu without them knowing it… for how long?

"We're just here to take care of business," a womanly figure cooed from in front of the Kazekage. Her gray eyes narrowed and her group seemed to become more rambunctious and eager to begin whatever they had planned as they shifted their feet forward; it was like the only thing holding them back was an unseen force.

"And what business would that be," Gaara asked flatly. On the outside he was calm and uncaring but inside he was uneasy. There were a lot of ninja around them and he needed to protect his wife and son; they meant more to him than anything in the world. He would not lose his precious people.

"Why, to eliminate you and your guards, Kazekage-_sama_," The woman sing-songed in reply. Her smirk could be felt by everyone even if it couldn't be seen behind her mask. "You kages are quite a threat to Otogakure so your lives must be extinguished. Don't worry, we'll make it quick," she stated before extending her arm quickly to signal for her team to attack.

Gaara's sand flowed from the gourd on his hip like water pouring down a waterfall. It shielded him within seconds, effectively stopping the kunai that had been aimed for his chest. Once he let his sand down for visibility he flung it towards three of his attackers. He managed to catch one around his middle but the other two managed to dodge; Gaara felt like he was getting rusty. "Sand Coffin," he muttered flatly as he kept his right hand outstretched while the sand surrounded the caught ninja. "If this is the path you choose, I'll give you _all_ a Sand Burial," He told them loudly as he closed his fist tightly. Blood, screams, and bone being crushed filled the air from within the barrier of sand. The silence that followed was near deafening.

Behind Gaara, Kankuro had Black Ant, Crow, and Salamander at the ready. He tugged the chakra strings from his fingertips and smirked from behind his face paint. "Let the puppet show begin," he called out as six enemies charged at him. Salamander remained with Kankuro to guard Ren and Kenta while Crow and Black Ant began their epic dance. The two puppets spun around quickly to corral their enemies; Kankuro's arms were moving wildly to give them the maximum amount of speed. "I won't even need my other puppets to take care of you," Kankuro snorted.

Kabuto locked into a taijutsu battle between four members. How many had there been in total? Kabuto couldn't recall. He punched and kicked, dodged and countered. The foursome kept coming at him. The snake ninja had sworn off using ninjutsu except under specific circumstances and he was trying to decide if this was one of those time. A sharp pain shot through his right side as a kunai sliced into him, pushing him to the side. Panic took over him when he realized he had left an opening for them to attack Ren and with a quick punch in the direction of the foursome he released ten shadow snakes from his sleeve. "Multiple Striking Shadow Snakes," he called out as the snakes attacked. _"I have to keep them away from Ren,"_ he reminded himself.

Ren had her byakugan active and could see everything, every opponent and every ally locked in battle. She glanced down to see Kenta still staring up at her blankly. "It'll be alright," she told him as she ran her hand through his already unruly red locks. She felt like her three comrades had things under control but she still needed to be on her guard. Her left hand quickly pulled her white fan free from her belt and she got into a defensive position. Gaara was their main target and he was moving around more rapidly than Ren had ever seen him do; were they fast enough to break through his defense? Kabuto and Kankuro seemed to be doing decent with their own opponents but Ren couldn't help but stare at Gaara. His movements were so graceful but each time he had to dodge his eyes went wide for a few seconds. The woman who had spoken to them was behind Gaara in an instant with a kunai raised above her head.

Ren raised her white fan in the air above her head and glanced at Kenta for a split-second. She prayed silently that the sling would hold up and nothing bad would happen to him. She took a deep breath and twisted her body quickly while bringing her arm around Kenta. Her right leg was extended outward for balance as she twirled her body and put as much chakra as she could into the fan. A quick glance down once her feet were planted firmly on the ground showed that Kenta remained unharmed but he began to whimper. "I'm sorry, my little prince," She whispered without looking at her son. Her eyes were on Gaara. He had been blown forward with her gust of wind but seemed unharmed. The same could not be said for the woman; she was slow to right herself. Both women's eyes locked when the woman was back on her feet and a kunai was flung directly at Ren's unbranded forehead.

Gaara righted himself quickly and looked around with his pale blue-green eyes. His opponents had been blown back by the blast of wind Ren had hit them with so he searched the chaos for her. Her byakugan eyes were wide and they weren't focused on him. They were filled with such rage and fear that Gaara took a step towards her. He needed to protect her not the other way around! A kunai flew past his head, almost grazing his crimson hair, straight towards his whole world. Sand reacted before Gaara even thought about it; the kunai was encased in sand and so was the thrower. Gaara tightened the sand around both objects despite only one being alive; his own rage was taking over.

Kankuro created a clone of Black Ant when his opponents seemed to have gotten the hang of his circling motion; they were throwing kunai and shuriken at the right moments which caused him to require Salamander's shield. The second Black Ant was a distraction while the original appeared behind one of his enemies. He stopped his circle as Crow flew towards the ninja causing him to step back; his ankle bumped into Black Ant and he toppled in backwards. **CLANK~ CLUNK~ THUNK~ **rang through the air as Black Ant's torso closed with the ninja inside. The five remaining turned when their comrade screamed and the Blank Ant clone captured another. It was child's play! Crow's body separated and impaled both Black Ants with one swift moment. "Secret Black Move: Triple Iron Maiden," Kankuro shouted over the screams of two of his opponents. The remaining four recovered quickly and charged straight at the puppet master.

Kabuto's snakes had managed to take out two of his four opponents; successfully swallowing them before disappearing in puffs of smoke. The other two had circled around and one managed to twist Kabuto's arm behind his back while the other formed hand signs. The medic's eyes widened as he recognized the signs: fire style. In a swift motion Kabuto kicked up off the ground to flip over his captor. Something in Kabuto's arm snapped and he groaned out in pain. He had broken his arm! He hurried to his feet and used his opponent as a shield from the Fire Ball Jutsu. Panting hard he dropped the corpse thinking, _"I can't make hand signs now." _Poisoned senbon left the medic's good hand quickly. He had to come up with a new game plan.

Kankuro reassembled Crow while he used Salamander as a shield. Crow's mouth dropped open when the hinge relaxed and three poison darts shot from the mechanism. A body falling to the ground was what caused the puppet master to lower his protective shield. An exploding tag attached to a kunai soared right at his feet and he had to roll away, taking his puppets with him. The explosion sent sand and dirt into the air making it hard to see anything. Ren seemed to be perfectly fine when Kankuro looked at her; the blast had been small and missed her completely.

Gaara was flinging sand everywhere and hitting no one. These ninja were fast, too fast. It was irritating and he was getting sick and tired of dealing with them. Pale blue-green eyes narrowed so much that only the black rings around his eyes were truly visible. A large wave of sand crashed into one of his opponents and grabbed hold of him; sheer determination was giving the Fifth Kazekage the edge he needed. With a raise of Gaara's hand the sand lifted the enemy ninja high into the sky then Gaara slammed his hand onto the ground causing the sand to follow along with the man. Gaara could have been done there, the man's body was surely broken but his rage took over. These people were evil; they cared only for their own gains and didn't care how many innocent people were hurt because of that. He finished the Anatman, raising his hand once more before releasing it and sending his opponent flying off somewhere.

Ren watched panting from her own anxieties as Gaara maimed the man he'd managed to catch. That wasn't good enough though; there were others. Kunai and shuriken were aimed straight for Gaara when Ren raised her leg high and brought it down, creating a razor sharp blast of wind; her Rankyaku (Tempest Kick). It sliced through the kunai but dissipated before reaching her true targets. _'I have to help Gaara,'_ she screamed inside her mind. She needed to help him! Panic consumed her and for a moment she forgot about the danger to herself and to Kenta. She focused her chakra to her feet and was running within the air in no time. The force of gravity would be enough to give her white fan enough power to do some serious damage. The chakra on her feet was released and she was falling towards the ground. It didn't matter; she sliced the air with her white fan and cut through the ninja throwing weapons at her husband. Sand wrapped around her before she connected with the ground.

Kankuro trapped the last of his opponents within Black Ant and twitched his fingers to separate Crow's countless joints and removable parts. "Secret Black Move: Iron Maiden," Kankuro shouted as the poison laced daggers of Crow's body parts penetrated into Black Ant causing a scream to erupt from his victim; it wasn't like he hadn't done that countless times today but for him it never got old. Blood oozed from Black Ant's body and puddled in the dirt. The puppet master was panting but didn't waste a moment before he had Ant emptied and crow reassembled. His sister-by-marriage was no longer standing right behind him; she was much closer to Gaara now.

A quick glance around let Kankuro know that there was only one enemy still standing; it had been Kabuto's. He approached his sister-in-law cautiously. She was trembling so much that he imagined she would drop her fan and possibly Kenta. Before he could reach her she was hurling another gust of wind. The wind mixed with Gaara's sand and effectively created a sand storm that blinded their last enemy. Kankuro took that opening to trap the person in Black Ant. The man screamed, probably from all the blood in Ant's torso. "What do you want me to do with him, Gaara," the puppet master asked with a smirk.

"We'll be taking him back with us for interrogation," Gaara replied flatly with his eyes on his wife as she walked off a little; neither male bothered to look for Kabuto. "We need to send word to the other kages about this assassination attempt."

Ren placed her fan back on her belt and wrapped her arms around Kenta while Gaara spoke to Kankuro. She walked off and found Kabuto sitting on the ground tending to his wounds; neither said anything. Kabuto was alive, they all were, and nothing else mattered. She didn't care what the others did at this point. Pale orbs disappeared as their lids fell closed; their owner deep in thought. She was irritated with herself; she should've helped more and she shouldn't have needed Gaara to save her _and_ Kenta. She had put Kenta in danger; what kind of a mother did that?

The medic stared at Ren for a while; he couldn't read her at all. He forced himself to his feet and approached the one person who might actually understand her, Gaara. "Kazekage-sama," Kabuto whispered lowly through his pain, "I think we should get your wife somewhere to rest. She isn't looking well." That was an understatement; her whole face was ghostly white, her body was trembling, and the way she clung to her son was worrisome.

Gaara said nothing to Kabuto. His eyes had never left his wife and son; he was not blind and could clearly see her distress. "Kankuro send a warning to the other kages; they should still be within Konohagakure," he ordered lowly. Soundlessly Gaara left the two men and walked up to his wife. Their eyes met but there were no words exchanged. Gaara could see the tears glistening in her pale eyes and the fear and devastation that resided within them. His arms were around her and their son in a tangled embrace almost instantly; he didn't even notice when she wrapped one arm around his waist and pressed her face against his chest. "It's okay," he whispered to them both as he stroked Ren's hair.

"People want to kill you, Gaara. These people don't want peace; they don't want happiness… they want chaos and destruction," she whimpered without looking up at him. The silence that followed was suffocating. Their eyes met once more as she looked up at him and something in those pale eyes had changed, determination was written all over her face. "I will stop this," she stated firmly, "I can't let these people get away with this. We have to warn the other kages and get home as quickly as possible. Training for ANBU has to start right away."

"Kankuro will be sending messages to the other kages; they haven't left the Leaf yet with any luck. We'll get home in a day and a half, maybe two… then some of the ANBU recruits will be joining us by the end of the week. We are strong and will rise above this as shinobi," Gaara told her flatly. Whenever he went into 'leader-mode' he kept his voice as stoic as ever, it didn't faze either of them. "Let's go," he said with a nod before letting her go.

XXXXXXXX

Ren laid on her back with her knees bent and feet resting firmly on the floor. Kenta was in a bouncy seat at her feet and every time she did a sit up she would coo at him with a bright smile then kiss his forehead before going back to her back. Sit ups were always a lot more fun with Kenta cheering her on; his little smiles melted her heart and eased the burn in her abdomen. A knock on the door kept Ren from laying back down and she frowned at Kenta. "I suppose we should see who that is, ne?" Kenta stared at her blankly and she sighed. "Okay, okay, I'll go see who it is. You stay right," she kissed his left cheek, "here," then she kissed his right.

Ren was ready to kill whoever had just interrupted her workout; tomorrow the majority of the first 'wave' of ANBU would be gathering in Sunagakure and she didn't have time for this. Relaxation wasn't something she could afford; she needed to get back in tip-top shape. With a quick flick of her wrist she opened the door and grunted out, "Nani?" A flash of green tackled Ren hard onto the sandstone floor with a **THUD~**. "Oi, Lee-sensei, that hurt," she muttered as she tried to pry the Handsome Green Devil of Konohagakure off her. It wasn't working.

"Oh Ren-chan, my youthful student," he shouted into her ear as he hugged her tighter, "I know that it has been less than a week but I have missed seeing your bright and glowing smile! I feel that you too could master the Sunset of Youth!"

It was getting harder to breathe the tighter Lee squeezed. Silently she was hoping someone would come pry the green-clad shinobi off of her but she knew better. "S-su-sun-s-set o-of y-yo-youth," she managed to ask with her staggered breaths.

It was enough for Lee to remove himself from her and immediately get into his nice-guy pose with her still laying on the ground. "Yosh! I will show you once again," Lee called out as if he had shown it to her before, she couldn't remember though. He flashed her a blinding smile before turning his thumbs up to a beautiful sunset that had magically appeared behind him.

"Wow," Ren stated in awe. Sure, she had seen him do it but she had no idea that could was a genjutsu! Was it a genjutsu? She thought it was just some weird occurrence Gai and Lee managed to time perfectly. Lee and Gai weren't able to do genjutsu though, were they? "Sure, teach it to me," she requested before she knew what she was saying._ "Oh boy,"_ Ren thought to herself, _"This is going to turn out to be a mistake."_

"Yosh! I shall teach you everything that I know," Lee shouted with enthusiasm.

At that exact moment Kenta had had enough of the ruckus and began screaming. Ren was on her feet quickly and unfastened the strap holding him into the bouncy seat. "It's okay," Ren told him gently while bouncing him slightly, "Okaa-san is going to learn lots of things from Lee-ojisan. He'll make mama into a better kunoichi so that we can make the world safer for you."

Lee had turned to stare at his student and couldn't help but smile—not that Rock Lee ever fought hard to keep a smile off his face. Ren was so good with her son; he decided she made an excellent mother and wished that he could have found that with Sakura. A twinge of pain filled the Green Devil's heart; the pain of her betrayal to him was still so fresh.

_Lee stood at the gates of Konohagakure with Sakura while they waited on others to arrive. It was unusual for TenTen to be keeping her distance the way she had been; the two of them were always on time so she had been there even before he and Sakura arrived. She stood with an unlikely group consisting of Shikamaru, Shino, and Ino. They were discussing something that resulted in daggers being shot towards his Blossom of Love. Something was not right and Lee could feel it in his gut._

_Sakura shifted all her weight onto one leg and whispered, "Lee, there's something I need to tell you and I don't think it's a good idea to put it off." _

_A lump formed in the green-clad shinobi's throat and he furrowed his bushy brows at his girlfriend. He couldn't imagine what she could need to tell him or why TenTen and company were so angry with Sakura; Lee and Sakura were very happy together and he thought his friends were happy for them. "What is it, my youthful blossom," he asked in all seriousness._

_"__I slept with Kiba-kun," she said quietly before biting her lip. Her jade eyes stared down at her shoes and her voice sounded moist, as if she were trying not to cry as she told him, "I'm so sorry. You deserve so much better. Please don't let this jeopardize our missions; I really needed to let you know so you can move on."_

_At any other moment Lee would have argued that she was the best but at that time he didn't feel that way. It was like he had been punched in the gut so hard that he couldn't breathe. "How long ago," Lee asked lowly; it was the only thing he could force out through the burning in his throat and the stinging behind his eyes._

_"__A few nights before the Kazekage and his family left," Sakura whimpered out as she fought back tears. It was obvious that she felt bad but Lee just could not feel pity for her; she had cheated on him. "I'm so sorry," she sobbed out quietly._

_"__I see," Lee stated. That was all he had said to her before walking away and over to TenTen. She would need support too; this meant her boyfriend had cheated on her and it felt safer to focus on that detail opposed to the fact that he too had been cheated on._

"Ren-chan," Lee said without his usual enthusiasm; his mood had gone to hell, "Gaara-san asked me to let you know that an ANBU meeting is being held within the next half hour. The first batch of ANBU trainees have arrived a day ahead of schedule. I'll see you at the central training grounds."

"Alright. Thank you, Lee-sensei," Ren said quietly as he left the room. His sudden change of mood worried her beyond words. A frown formed on her lips and she looked down at Kenta who still had tears in his eyes but seemed to be settling down. "I wonder what's wrong with Lee-ojisan," she mumbled to her son. Lee had went from his usual loud and cheerful self to an empty shell so fast that Ren couldn't comprehend it. "Let's go find someone to watch you." Ren swallowed hard to try to relieve some of the pressure building there. With Temari, Kankuro, and Baki going into ANBU too she didn't know who would watch Kenta; she wished her mother were here.

Abruptly she thought of one person, besides her husband—who had duties to fulfill as the Kazekage—that was not going into the Allied ANBU. She carried Kenta out of her bedroom and hunted for Kabuto; he wasn't going with her now that they were free of each other so he would be an excellent choice… she hoped. He wasn't in any of his normal places. She passed the same maid at least three times. A soft sigh escaped Ren's lips as she noticed the maid yet again. "Excuse me, Jun-san," she called softly to the woman to get her attention.

"Ah, Ren-sama, did you find who you were looking for," the woman in her mid-sixties asked with a kind smile on her thin lips as she dried her hands on a dish towel. Jun had been around since long before Gaara was even born and was always very kind to Ren; the illegitimate Hyuga had taken quite a liking to the older woman and trusted her more than any other servant in the Kazekage household.

"No," Ren answered as she shook her head. "I was trying to find Kabuto. You haven't seen him have you?"

"He went to the ANBU meeting, dear. Give me Kenta-sama and get a move on, you don't want to be late," the woman said as she held her arms out.

Ren kissed Kenta's cheek before handing him over and thanking Jun. Her feet ran as fast as they could to the training grounds and the whole journey she was asking herself, _"Why is Kabuto at the ANBU meeting? He wasn't drafted."_

XXXXXXXX

The Fifth Kazekage sat in the windowsill of his office starting out at his village. So many lives were at stake yet again. Gaara felt like there would never be peace. The Akatsuki were gone; the world was supposed to find an era of harmony. Did the people causing this chaos not experience the Infinite Tsukuyomi? Were they unable to find themselves? Perhaps that was their problem; they figured out that they live off distress.

"Kazekage-sama," a voice interrupted his brooding. Gaara turned to see the silver haired medic staring at him.

"What is it," Gaara asked flatly. Why was Kabuto in his office? The troops arrived a day early so they were to be gathering in the central training ground. He was due there momentarily to give an eloquent speech he wasn't sure he could deliver this time; he didn't have long to plan how he was going to rally the troops.

"I would like to make a request," Kabuto stated. Gaara furrowed his non-existent eyebrows and waved his hand in a sign for the medic to continue. "I would like to join Ren's ANBU team. I've sworn myself to protect her and I will not fail in that."

Gaara's lips twitched down ever so slightly; Kabuto probably had missed the minuscule change. Ren had only been free from Kabuto for two days. The Kazekage rubbed the back of his neck while he tried to find logic in sending Kabuto. The man did seem adamant in protecting his wife—as he had proven already—and another member of ANBU would be helpful but could he trust Kabuto? History suggested that he couldn't but recent events left him feeling that Kabuto may very well be a changed man.

"I know how to be stealthy and am knowledgeable in the layouts of almost every base that has been confirmed; the idiots are using ones Orochimaru and I had abandoned long ago. Ren is my friend, the first one of you to give me a chance to prove I'm not the man I used to be, I feel like I owe it to her to keep her safe. Sending her out there is like handing them half of what they want," Kabuto reasoned.

"Yes, which is why Uchiha is not involved. I had hoped Naruto would be sent along but Hokage-sama has decided ANBU is not something he's made for." The fifth Kazekage weighed the medic's words for a while. "Very well, I'll see what I can do," Gaara stated flatly. He didn't like this and the gears were already turning in his head to formulate a plan. "There is a meeting taking place in half an hour, at the central training grounds. I've sent Rock Lee to inform Ren of its location. I'll be there as soon as I am able."

Kabuto bowed low to Gaara and said, "Thank you, Kazekage-sama. I will keep your wife safe."

Gaara nodded and Kabuto disappeared through the door. _"That's what you say but I question your feelings for her," _he thought to himself. The door opened once again, this time revealing Baki. "Baki," Gaara called to him before the man had even gotten fully into the room, "I require the presence of Nara Shikamaru. I need to change the squads around. Will you retrieve him for me?"

"Of course, but why?"

"Because Kabuto asked me to allow him into ANBU to protect Ren."

"And you thought that would be a good idea?"

"Not completely, that's why I wish to see Nara. I want to run this by him and see what he suggests; he is the Leaf's best strategist."

"Very well, I will go get him."

XXXXXXXXX

A bulletin board with several pieces of paper pinned to it stood in the middle of the training ground that Gaara had just delivered his speech in. The speech was eloquent and inspirational; two things that made his wife stare at him in awe the whole time he gave it. Dozens of ninja gathered around the board trying to see the names. Ino, Temari, Ren, and TenTen stood together waiting for their turn to peek at the board. Lee and Shino had been with them when the speech was in progress but the two of them had disappeared when everyone started flocking towards the bulletin board.

"I really hope I don't get stuck with any idiots," Ino muttered lowly to her companions; she was thankful for the guys having slipped away so she could speak freely without insulting them. She had her hands on her hips and was tapping her foot; they had been waiting for what felt like an eternity.

"I doubt anyone here counts as an idiot," Temari grumbled. It was clear that she was getting irritated too.

"I don't know about that," Ren responded quietly. Kiba and Sakura were both here; she had seen them earlier but prayed TenTen and Lee hadn't.

"No kidding," TenTen stated in agreement. Her brown eyes darted around and everyone watched as they lost their shine. "I can't believe Kakashi picked _them_ for this," she whispered so low that her friends had almost missed it.

Ino followed TenTen's line of sight and spotted the dog-nin almost immediately. He was grinning like an idiot at someone with blond hair that had his back to them. "Yeah well, like I said… I hope I don't get stuck with an idiot." Ino really wanted to say that she couldn't believe Sakura would do such a thing to a fellow kunoichi but she held her tongue; it was better not to bring it up and Sakura was one of her closest friends. Would Ino have to worry about Sakura being around Naruto now? She hoped not; they had left that stage of their relationship.

"There's an opening," Temari stated as she grabbed TenTen and Ren's hands; she would have grabbed Ino's too if she had another hand. The four of them squeezed through to the roster list. "There I am. Team Fukurou with C and Shiranui Genma."

"Owl? Really," Ino half laughed-half scoffed.

"Maybe it's 'luck' instead," Ren suggested with a small smile. _'Please don't start nit-picking at each other,'_ she requested silently.

"Let's see," TenTen grumbled as she slid her finger down the list, clearly ignoring Ino's mocking of Temari's team. "Haruno Sakura, Yamato… and Inuzuka Kiba… Make up Team Ookami. Wolf, that figures," TenTen said with a sigh.

Ren placed her hand on TenTen's shoulder and gave a light squeeze. "Look," Ren said pointing to Team Washi (eagle), "Yamashiro Aoba, Baki, and Mitarashi Anko." Distractions were good.

The women looked at each other and giggled. "I kind of feel bad for Aoba and Baki," Ino said through snickers. Everyone knew exactly how Anko treated her male comrades; if anyone could handle her, it would be Baki but even then it would be hilarious to see.

TenTen bit her bottom lip to stop laughing but when she saw Ren doing the exact same thing they both lost it. "Team Saru," Ren said pointing to the list in an effort to calm her laughing fit, "Rock Lee, TenTen, and Sai."

"How am I a monkey," TenTen pouted slightly.

"Hey at least you got your teammate," Temari threw in with a chuckle.

Ino rolled her eyes and found her name. "Team Hachi," she exclaimed in a high pitched voice, "No way am I a bee!"

"Yamanaka Ino, Sabaku Kankuro, and Aburame Shino," TenTen read the names aloud.

Ino's face paled and she shook her head. "I would get stuck with the boy that plays with dolls and the one that names his bugs," she muttered. No one mentioned that she also might have to play peace keeper if Shino and Kankuro happened to revisit old memories; Shino had owned the puppet master and he was still easily ticked off about it even after so many years.

Nearby dark clouds of angst formed over the heads of the puppet and bug masters.

"Nezumi," Ren whispered, "Nara Shikamaru," Ren felt Temari's eyes narrow at her slightly and forced herself to continue on, "Sabaku Ren, and," her voice halted and she felt sick to her stomach. _'How is that possible?'_

"Yakushi Kabuto," Temari finished for her, her words were more of an exhale than actually speaking. Clearly the fact that Ren was on Shikamaru's team was overshadowed by this new development.

"Let's go get our gear," TenTen murmured as she grabbed Ren's hand to lead her away.

XXXXXXXX

"I'm trying not to let it bother me," Ren said quietly through pants as she and Lee ran around Sunagakure's outer wall. "I don't know why Kabuto even joined," she huffed, "It shouldn't bother me so much but it does! It's bad enough that I have to leave Kenta… I thought that my friend would still be around to help my husband take care of our son."

"I can understand your displeasure, Ren-chan," Lee told her as he picked up the pace, "but we must do what is best for all shinobi and not just ourselves. If it is bothering you this much, maybe you should speak to Gaara-san. I am certain he will listen to your worries and set your mind at ease."

Ren was forced to push herself to keep up with Lee. They had been doing this for the past two weeks complete with weights around their ankles and every day they ran more laps, did more pushups, more kicks, more squats, more _everything_. She could admit she was getting faster, stronger, and had better endurance but this felt like too much. From the time she woke up until the time she went to bed most of her life involved preparing for the special operations she would be doing for ANBU. "All he said was that Kabuto asked to join. I don't see him long enough to get more information out of him than that," she grumbled.

"Do not despair! Things will be okay. Maybe tonight you can speak with him about Kabuto," Lee suggested.

Ren saw the fruit stand that marked the 'end' of their run and pushed herself to move to it even faster, the weights on her legs made it more difficult though. "I will try," she said softly.

Lee crossed the 'line' first and turned to Ren with a big grin on his face. "I have come in first place," Lee exclaimed, "That means you will do one hundred more sit-ups than I do!"

"That makes four hundred for me then," she groaned out, "Let's get a drink first okay? I'm dying here!"

Lee laughed and nodded. "You sound a lot like TenTen when you say that," he mused aloud.

"Are you happy she's on your team," Ren asked as she followed him to where they had left their waters. She picked up her towel and wiped the sweat from her forehead before taking a long drink of the ice cold water.

"Yes, we make a very good team! TenTen and your brother," he answered then stopped when Ren glared at him; they weren't supposed to mention that Ren was Neji's sister and not his cousin. "Gomenasai," he muttered and bowed his head. He took a quick drink of his water and let out a sigh of relief. "As I was saying, when we were Team Gai our missions ran smoothly and successfully. In a way I was hoping that you would be placed on our team. I know that you are not Neji but his youth burns brightest in you, even more so than Hanabi-sama and Hinata-sama."

Ren smiled slightly but it was forced. She was always told by every Leaf ninja she came across that she could be Neji's twin. It was funny, when she was younger everyone always said she looked like her mother. Her teeth clamped around her bottom lip as she fought to get her breathing back to normal. "Thank you, Lee-sensei," she said sweetly and she meant it. She was able to connect with Lee and TenTen in ways she may not have been able to without Neji.

"Let's get started! If I cannot do three hundred sit-ups then I will do five hundred punches!"

Ren blinked then forced herself to shout enthusiastically, "And if I cannot do four hundred sit-ups then I will do five hundred and fifty punches!"

"I accept your challenge, Ren-chan! May the flames of our youth burn brightly," Lee exclaimed.

What had Ren gotten herself into? She actually found that she enjoyed Lee's harsh training; it produced results. Who cared that people were looking at her weird; she didn't. So what if her muscles ached by the time they finished every day; it meant she was improving. Nothing could take away from the joys of training with Lee, nothing.

XXXXXXXX

The sun had just rose above the sandy desert horizon and Nara Shikamaru was already ready for a nap. This business with the Otogakure uprising was really cutting into his life in ways he didn't want to deal with. He was a simple guy with simple desires; he was going to live his life as a ninja, marry a simple girl—even though the one he fell for was far from simple—have two kids: a boy and then a girl, and retire when his son was old enough to support him and his wife. The Sound Village was making that dream seem further and further off. "Troublesome," he muttered just before he took a long drag off his cigarette.

"What is," an arrogant feminine voice that he knew all too well asked from behind him.

"Hey Temari," he muttered as he turned to look at her. She was dressed like he was; black pants, a black sleeveless turtleneck, long black gloves, and a gray flak vest. He had to admit it looked far better on her. The white mask that was tied to one of her belt loops drew his attention. It had weird feathers coming out of the top and the beak looked like it could've been a weapon itself. "What kind of bird are you supposed to be?"

Temari scoffed and placed her fist on her hip. "I'm a crane, obviously. Shiranui is the team captain so he's the owl and C is a parrot," she stated with a smirk, "I think of the two, I didn't get such a bad code-name."

Shikamaru would have argued with her but it was just too much work. "Great," he muttered.

Temari frowned at him and her teal eyes narrowed. "Got a problem with that," she asked through gritted teeth.

"No," he replied lazily, "I don't want to fight with you, tr-."

"I swear if you call me a troublesome woman," she stated as her hand reached around her back to release her fan from its holster.

"Alright, alright, geez. When are you getting your tattoo? My team goes in in about half an hour. Wonder what it's gonna look like," he told her, trying desperately to change the subject.

"I already got mine. Tch. You're supposed to observe everything and you didn't even notice," she told him whilst rolling her eyes.

Shikamaru stared at her through droopy eyelids and she turned so that he could see her left shoulder. The allied ANBU tattoo was red like the Leaf Village's but that's where the similarities ended. This one was a simple kanji, 'shinobi'. "At least they gave us something that won't be embarrassing after this is all over," he responded as he tossed his cigarette on the ground and twisted it into the sand with the bottom of his sandal.

"I like it. I don't know if they'll really get rid of the Allied ANBU Division when Orochimaru's lackeys are taken care of though. I kind of like the idea; I can still work for Gaara in a way even after we're married and I have to move to Konohagakure," she told him with a shrug.

"Yeah well, I already told you I'd move here if that'd make you happy. It'd be a real drag but I could manage," he said with a smirk.

"Yeah like Kakashi would just let you go. Besides you're the Nara Clan head now, you can't just move your whole clan to Suna."

"I'd do it for you." He shrugged like it wasn't a big deal.

Temari smiled brightly and wrapped her arms around his waist. "You know, I think I'd like to keep you alive. Gaara would kill you if we lived here," she said with a chuckle.

"Hmph," he grunted out as he wrapped his arms around his fiancé, "He could try."

"He'd succeed. Even with that big brain of yours and without Shukaku, Gaara could take you down," she told him with a smirk on her lips.

"E-excuse me," a small, quiet voice interrupted their moment. A sigh escaped Shikamaru's lips but Temari didn't seem fazed by it at all; she knew the voice. "Gomenasai but Baki is looking for you Tem."

Temari pulled herself away from the shadow wielder and turned to the ANBU standing to her right. "Alright," she said as she stared at the lizard mask's dark eye slits. She smiled slightly; if she had to be caught being all mushy with Shikamaru it was a relief for her to be the one to intrude. "I'll head over there right now." Temari started walking away and waved to them. "Ja ne, Ren, Shikamaru."

"See you," Ren called back.

"Later," Shikamaru drawled out.

The two stood in silence until Temari was out of sight. "This mask is really hard to breathe in after a while," Ren muttered. She really didn't know what to say to Shikamaru; they never really got close.

"We'll get used to it in time," he responded. He shoved his hands into the pockets of his pants lazily then pulled out another cigarette and his lighter. Ren watched the Nara light his cigarette with a slight fascination she couldn't fathom. She knew those things were death rolled into a stick, but there was a certain appeal to something being able to relax you simply through breathing. She hadn't even realized she tilted her head to the side until he asked, "Want a hit?"

She blinked behind the mask before untying it and securing it to her hip. If she were still breastfeeding Kenta the answer would have been an easy no but she had stopped doing that to prepare him, and herself, for when she left. "Ano, sure, I guess?"

"Do you even know how to do it," he asked handing over the smoking cigarette. Ren shook her head before grabbing the filter with two shaking fingers. Shikamaru smirked slightly while thinking, _"Here I am corrupting the Kazekage's wife. Maybe Temari's right; he would kill me if we lived here."_ He studied her; she looked so awkward holding that cigarette. "Okay so you just suck in like a straw until the smoke is in your mouth then you suck in fresh air so that the smoke goes into your lungs. You're probably going to cough; it's troublesome but after a few hits that stops."

She nodded slowly, almost as if it was taking her a while to process his words. _"This is so wrong,"_ the Kazekage's wife told herself. She lifted the cigarette to her lips and barely touched it to them at all; she knew you weren't supposed to stick it too far into your mouth because it would get wet. She followed his instructions and the moment the smoke entered her lungs she was doubled over coughing while trying not to catch her long raven hair on fire. Shikamaru lazily patted her back and told her, "Try it again." When her lungs didn't feel like they were on fire she repeated. There was a little coughing but nothing too bad. "Better," he asked.

She nodded and took another drag off the cigarette before handing it back to Shikamaru. She exhaled slowly and watched as he took a drag off the cigarette. Ren's face paled slightly with a sudden realization. _"Did that count as inadvertent kiss?"_ Oh she really, really hoped not.

_"__Please tell me that wasn't an indirect kiss,"_ Shikamaru told himself as he stared down at his cigarette. He gave a mental shrug asking himself, _"Why am I even thinking about that? I have her germs now and she has mine. That doesn't make it a kiss even if we have both touched the damn thing with our lips. Oh man, this is so troublesome."_

"I feel light headed," she told him with a giggle. It was true too; she felt lighter than air and it felt _good_. She forgot all about the fact her lips had touched something Shikamaru's had and vice versa. Her body felt so loose.

_"__Was I like that when I started smoking?"_ Shikamaru shook his head with a light chuckle. "It feels nice though," he told her. She nodded in agreement. "We need to get to the academy. We're due there for our ink soon."

"Yeah~," Ren trailed off. She started walking and Shikamaru matched her pace perfectly but she felt so wobbly she was sure she wasn't walking right. "I'm nervous about this," she confessed without thought.

"About what," he asked as he continued to smoke.

"Getting a tattoo… Being ANBU… and these missions. I know this needs to be dealt with but I haven't been on missions in a while. I'm afraid I'm going to mess everything up," she told him before chewing on her bottom lip. _"Why am I sharing so much with him all the sudden?"_

He couldn't help but stare at her. She was almost like Temari's polar opposite. Temari was confident in everything she did and would tell you whatever she wanted without a care; Ren on the other hand was quiet and worried about failing. He caught himself thinking, _"Maybe in another life you'd of been my simple girl."_ He scolded himself for that thought. He loved Temari and knew she was the right girl for him. With Ren he'd have to reassure her all the time and that'd get troublesome; she also wasn't as pretty as Temari, in his eyes. _"Speaking of reassuring,"_ he reminded himself. "We're all going into this unsure of what will happen," he told her, "We're trained for this. You're training with Lee twice as hard as the rest of us. I can't promise we'll all be fine but you're on my squad and I don't plan on letting anything dangerous happen to you. Yakushi is also going to be looking out for you so just relax and do what you do best."

She smiled up at him and told him, "A-arigato. I don't need to be protected, but it's nice to know that I will be anyway. I'm honestly glad w-we're on the same team. Ino's told me all about how smart you are, though sometimes Temari begs to differ," she told him with a giggle, "I know that you'll think things through and we'll make a real difference."

Shikamaru returned her smile with a small one of his own. "Yeah, that's what we're aiming for anyway, right," he asked. She nodded. "As long as we go about this smart we should be alright."

XXXXXXXX

The Kazekage manor was quiet except for the living room. The whole house was asleep except for two friends who should've been resting as well. "Just try it on," Lee stated as he shoved the green jumpsuit and orange leg warmers he had brought for her from Konohagakure into her dainty hands, "If you do not like the way it looks, I will not ask you to wear it again."

The female chewed on her bottom lip while studying the fabric in her hands. It was soft and stretchy but the color could really clash with her pale complexion. "A-alright L-Lee-s-sensei," she stuttered out while nodding. "I-I'll b-b-be r-right b-b-back." This whole thing made her nervous. She hoped and prayed putting on this outfit would not ruin her perfect eyebrows; she could do without bushy brows.

"No one shall see you, Ren-chan, do not worry," he told her with a bright grin and a thumbs up.

Some of her uneasiness melted away and she returned his smile with a half-hearted one of her own. "O-okay," she murmured before disappearing into the bathroom that was just down the hall.

An older maid walked by on her way to the kitchen. "Excuse me," Lee called to her, "Would it be alright if I get a drink for Ren-chan and I?"

"I'll get it for you two, just wait right here," she told him gently with a smile.

He watched her walk down the hall and closed his eyes. The Handsome Green Devil was sure his student would love the jumpsuit once she had it on. The youthful green color would reflect nicely on her pale eyes; he was sure of it. The maid returned and put down a tray with two colorful bottles on it. She bowed and was gone before Lee could say anything at all. His hand extended to grab one of the bottles and he sniffed it. "This is sake," he exclaimed quietly to himself. The young man was on his feet grabbing the tray to take it back to the kitchen when he heard a feminine cough from behind him.

He abandoned the tray and turned to see his student standing with her hands folded behind her back. The color didn't drain her skin, her eyes seemed even more beautiful, and her long raven hair was a very nice contrast to the jade green fabric. "What do you think," Ren asked quietly as she extended her arms out to her sides and did a little twirl.

"You look beautiful and amazing, Ren-chan," Lee told her with an even brighter and toothier grin then the last one had been.

"I-I d-do-doubt a-anyone e-else w-wo-would a-a-agree," she said with a light blush dusting her cheeks and her eyes on the ground.

"It does not matter what they say," Lee told her sincerely.

"Th-tha-that's t-true I-I g-g-guess." She stepped up to the table while pulling at the collar of the jumpsuit. "I-It's a l-li-little h-hot f-for S-Suna th-though." She grabbed one of the bottles and pressed it to her lips before throwing her head back and taking two big gulps.

As soon as the bottle was against her lips Lee was extending his hand shouting quietly —because the rest of the house was indeed asleep— "Wait, Ren-chan!"

Ren's reaction to the burning in her throat was delayed. She managed to swallow both mouthfuls before it registered that the drink she had just taken had not been water. She started to cough and pounded her fist against her chest, right above her breasts. "Th-this r-re-really p-packs a p-punch," she murmured.

"That's sake, Ren-chan," Lee told her as he took the bottle from her hand and returned it to the tray. He placed his hands on her shoulders and helped her sit down on one of the arm chairs. "I am going to take this to the kitchen and get us some water. I will be right back," he told her gently.

Ren nodded and leaned back in the chair. Her head was spinning and her body felt so hot! She unzipped the jumpsuit just enough that her collarbones were visible and started fanning herself. This felt good though! She laughed at herself and slumped forward so that her elbows landed against her knees and she lazily braced herself up with them. Raven locks covered her face and brushed against the floor as she gently hummed to herself. Why was everything bad for you so fun? She laughed again, louder this time.

"Ren-chan! Are you alright," Lee asked as he rushed back over to her and placed the water on the table. He pushed her back upwards so she was sitting straight. The first thing he noticed was her flushed face; the second thing was that she was furrowing her brows at him.

"Don't touch me," she slurred out as she pushed his hands away. "I'm fine." She stood up to prove the point but she was wobbly. When had she lost such basic control over her body? She huffed out her nose and Lee attempted to steady her. "I said don't touch me," she shouted as she focused her chakra to her eyes. "Byakugan," she whisper-slurred just before she tapped Lee gently in his shoulder. A burst of chakra from her palm entered his body and he stumbled backwards.

"Ren-chan," Lee told her calmly as he tried to shake off the pain in his left shoulder, "I am not going to hurt you. I am just going to take you to bed."

"P-pervert!" Her whole face turned a brighter red and she attacked him again. He stumbled back once more and into the one of the end tables by the couch. He fell backwards over the table and it shattered with a loud **CRACK**~. "I am married," she shouted to him while getting into a loose and lazy gentle fist stance.

"I did not mean it like that! Ren-chan you must get ahold of yourself," Lee pleaded as he got into his own taijutsu stance. He had sparred countless times with Neji as well as Ren and was confident he could hold his own against her but he didn't want to hurt her. She wasn't giving him much of a choice though; she came at him with her palms glowing. He swung an open fist towards her neck hoping to subdue her quickly; an unconscious Kazekage's wife could easily be dropped off in her room to sleep it off next to her husband.

"No," she shouted as she bent over backwards so far that her shoulders crashed onto the ground. She was righted so quickly that Lee was thankful he didn't blink. She swung at him again but he was able to grab her wrist and elbow before she could do any damage. He used her momentum to flip her up over his head and onto the couch. She groaned when she hit but now she was holding onto his arm too and he met the same fate. He was flipped over her body but instead of landing on the soft couch he landed on the floor with a **THUMP~**

XXXXXXXX

Whatever racket was going on in the center of the Kazekage manor had woken up three of its residents and one of their guests, the ones closest to the disturbance. Gaara was not a happy Kazekage; he had just been sleeping well when the commotion drew him out of his slumber. He was met in the hallway by TenTen, Kankuro, and Temari. "What is going on," he asked no one in particular.

"Hell if I know," Temari grunted out while tying the belt of her midnight blue robe tighter.

"I dunno but it's really loud," TenTen said groggily while she rubbed her eyes.

"Let's check it out," Kankuro suggested through a yawn. He stretched his arms above his head and started down the hallway.

The sight that met them was a bizarre one: Ren was attacking Lee and he was avoiding her hits while trying to deliver non-lethal moves of his own. The group was stunned with the scene. Temari was the first to recover and grumbled, "What the hell has he done to my sister?"

"How the hell did he convince her to wear that," TenTen muttered aloud, clearly noticing the green jumpsuit and orange leg warmers Ren was wearing.

Gaara remained so silent it was disturbing. He was trying to wrap his half asleep mind around what he was seeing. Who was he supposed to assist in the situation? Ren or Lee? Or maybe neither? They were both tearing up the living room; it wasn't a place they should be sparring.

"I'm disturbed by how hot she looks in that," Kankuro groaned as he stared at her slightly exposed cleavage. Temari and TenTen looked at Kankuro horrified while Gaara pretended not to hear his idiot brother. "What? She does! Look at her," he told them as he motioned towards Ren and Lee.

TenTen punched his shoulder while muttering, "Baka."

Temari smacked the back of his head saying, "Pervert! That's your sister!"

Kankuro growled low in his throat while he rubbed his shoulder and the back of his head. He decided he would bite his tongue for now; he clearly wasn't in the type of company that would appreciate the view before them.

"Thank you," Gaara muttered to the women for reprimanding Kankuro. He walked away from the group to figure out why Ren and Lee were fighting in his living room, destroying the furniture.

"Gaara-san," Lee shouted with relief when he saw the crimson-haired shinobi. He had popped his head up to look over Ren's head and was nearly hit in the arm by her chakra infused fingertips.

"What's going on," Gaara asked as Lee managed to dodge another of Ren's sloppy attacks.

"She had sake," Lee explained while trying to grapple Ren. She slipped through his arms and to the floor like water before swinging her legs around to kick his feet out from under the green clad shinobi. He grabbed her arms as he went down and pulled the currently green clad kunoichi with him. It was a mess of orange, green, and black as they rolled around; no one was sure they could call this martial arts anymore. "It's almost like drunken boxing meets gentle fist," Lee mused while avoiding yet another attack before either had fully righted themselves. "Don't just stand there Gaara-san! Help me!"

Gaara felt the vein beside the kanji on his forehead begin to throb as he extended his right arm to call his sand from the small gourd at his waist; he had thankfully grabbed it and strapped it to his hip before leaving the bedroom. How Kenta was sleeping through all this noise, the Kazekage would never know. He flung a stream of sand at his wife but she thrust her chakra infused palm into the center and it fell to the ground.

TenTen stretched her arms above her head before joining into the battle. She wasn't much for up close fighting but she wouldn't use a weapon on her friend. Kankuro and Temari were in the same predicament. Every time a ninja would go after Ren she would duck, dodge, or block. They were having a difficult time getting her into a hold that wouldn't injure her. Ren managed to kick Temari, punch Kankuro, and head-butt TenTen while still avoiding Lee and Gaara. Alcohol was clearly making her more flexible but her movements were slower. She made up for it by being completely unpredictable; it was like Ren didn't even know what she was going to do until a second before she did it.

TenTen managed to grab one of Ren's legs while Temari grabbed an arm. Lee went for her other leg and Kankuro grabbed her other arm. They had successfully gotten to her except that she was thrashing around violently and it was taking everything they had to keep her in place. Gaara was forced to wrap his sand around her body just to hold her in place.

"You guys make this much harder than it has to be," Kabuto muttered from behind the Kazekage's wife. He was standing in her blind spot and she tried to jerk her head around to see him. By the time she broke free of TenTen's grasp Kabuto had a needle injected into her arm with a sedative inside. He plunged the liquid into Ren's body with a swift motion and everyone let go at once.

The illegitimate Hyuga turned to stare at Kabuto and was about to yell at him but the sedative took effect. "I don't feel s-," she said as she slumped forward into Kabuto's arms.

Temari stared at the medic. "How long have you been there," she panted out.

"Not long. I checked on Kenta before coming down here. He was still asleep, luckily," Kabuto stated.

"Well that was fun," TenTen said.

"Let's never do that again," Kankuro grunted out.

"Oh Gaara-san I am so sorry! I tried to tell her it was sake but it was too late. I was coming back with water when she attacked me over a misunderstanding," Rock Lee wept.

"It's fine. I'll deal with it in the morning," Gaara grunted out.

"I'll go put her in your room," Kabuto stated since no one was making any moves to collect the passed out kunoichi.

Kabuto started down the hall after he adjusted her so that she was draped over his shoulder. The weapon's mistress and puppet master made their retreats as well followed by one very upset Handsome Green Devil; he blamed himself for this chaos.

"Don't be too hard on her tomorrow, Gaara," Temari warned him lowly.

"She should have known better," he muttered impassively as he stared down the hallway everyone else had retreated through.

"It was an accident, according to Lee," she countered.

"Enough," he grunted out before following the path Kabuto had taken towards his bedroom.

XXXXXXXX

Everything was cloudy and groggy when pale lilac eyes finally opened. The sun was peeping in through the closed curtains of her room but her mood was gloomy. Her fingertips lightly dug into her eye sockets to brush away the gritty feeling that coated her long eyelashes. When people drank sake, which she did remember accidently doing, didn't they usually wake up with hangovers? That was supposed to be a massive headache and sensitivity to lights and sounds right? She wasn't having that. The blankets were suddenly pulled back before she could register that someone was still in the room. To her horror she was still wearing the green jumpsuit Lee had convinced her to wear but the zipper was down almost to her belly button. She blushed bright red and quickly covered her chest with her arms. "What happened last night," she asked through her embarrassment. Her eyes locked onto pale blue-green eyes and her stomach knotted up.

Gaara's eyes closed as he crossed his arms. He was standing beside the bed dressed for his role as the Kazekage so she figured it was still fairly early in the morning since he was still there. "You tore up the living room battling Rock Lee last night," he stated flatly. She couldn't remember fighting Lee at all; why had she done that? His nostrils were twitching and it was clear to his wife that he was angry. She swallowed hard and broke eye contact; the bed suddenly seemed much safer to look at. "You cannot hold your alcohol," he muttered before turning away. She felt like he found her repulsive and couldn't even bear to look at her.

Ren stood from the bed and walked over to her dresser in a hurry. She quickly pulled out her training gear and began putting it on. "I didn't know it was alcohol," she told him just before he placed his hand on the doorknob. She expected him to just keep going; he'd give her the silent treatment like usual.

He turned to face her and told her lowly, "You were not paying attention and made a mistake."

"Exactly! It was a mistake! An accident," Ren's voice got louder and higher with each word; her change in pitch took away from the effect of it. "We all make mistakes, Gaara! This was an innocent one! I had a drink in my house that I wasn't prepared for! It was an innocent mistake…" Her voice had returned to a normal octave and she suddenly felt like crying. Her husband, the man she loved more than herself, was disappointed in her. He was angry with her. She felt so low.

"It was not innocent," Gaara countered. His own voice was slightly louder than usual. "You battled with Lee because you were too drunk to realize he was helping you! If this happened on a mission you could compromise this whole thing!"

Ren suddenly understood what this was about. He was doubting her abilities as a kunoichi. If she could make a mistake like that at home, what was keeping her from doing it out there? Depression and self-loathing was suddenly replaced with boiling rage. "I was in my home! I wouldn't be so relaxed on a mission!"

Gaara walked closer to her in an attempt to tell her to back down. He stood taller than her but she still glared up at him with a hardness in her eyes he hadn't seen in a long while. "You have to always be on your guard. At home. On a mission. Always," he told her while narrowing his own eyes. "Maybe you aren't ready for ANB-"

A fire ignited in Ren's chest and she was suddenly glad she was completely dressed; what she was about to do kind of required it. She stretched her arms across her body and glared as hard as she could at her husband without accidently using her byakugan; all that focus tended to cause chakra to gather there. "Fight me. Meet me at the training grounds and I'll show you _exactly _how capable I am."

Gaara's lip turned up in a snarl while he lowered his face so that their noses were almost touching. In a different circumstance Ren would have blushed and expected him to kiss her; her heart ached because she knew that wouldn't be the case and in her rage she didn't want him to anyway. "Fine," he grunted out after a long pause. He turned and was out the door before Ren could blink. The door slammed and it startled her so much that her hand collided with the dresser. She almost lost her anger to the sudden fear but instead she focused on her irritation; she would need it to keep her nervousness in check. Gaara didn't think she was ready. She had to prove him wrong! In a hurry, the kazekage's wife put on the leg weights she wore to train with Lee; walking and running without them felt too strange to be without them.

XXXXXXXX

The sand sparkled in the newly rising sun's rays as Ren approached the training grounds. Several areas that she passed by were in use by ANBU trainees and she spared less than a glance in their directions. Her heart was pounding and all the anger she had been feeling since marrying Gaara was bubbling just below the surface; she loved him but his distance was driving her insane. The woman longed to be touched, caressed, cherished… but her husband had very little time for such things. The newly discovered doubt he had in her was simply the last straw for her.

She came across one of the arenas that was completely empty except for Kankuro, Gaara, and TenTen. Kankuro and TenTen were both dressed in black shirts with black pants, just like Ren, and began walking away from the Kazekage as Ren approached. Gaara's attire was the same as ever: a rust colored coat with black pants; Ren wasn't sure if he was going to take her seriously and her frustration built. She stopped ten meters away from her husband and glared at him.

"This is ridiculous. You're bringing our marital and professional disagreements out into the public eye by doing this," he told her flatly. His voice was loud enough to be heard by Ren, Kankuro, and TenTen but not the people training all around them in the other designated grounds.

Her rage began to flow red hot through her veins and her fists clinched at her sides. "You brought this on us. If you weren't such an asshole, it wouldn't have come to this," she told him in the same flat tone he had used. "If you doubt my skills as a kunoichi, as a _ninja_, then I have to prove you're wrong. I'm ready for the missions given to me and will not let you, Sunagakure, or The Allied Shinobi forces down!" Her fingers darted into the weapon pouch strapped to her left thigh and she pulled out a kunai plus three shuriken.

The kazekage's wife was rushing at him in an instant; she wouldn't let him think for a second that she wasn't serious about this. Three shuriken were thrown straight at her husband as fast and hard as she could but he blocked them with his sand; she had been ready for that. Within an instant Ren had changed direction and was approaching him from his right side with her kunai in hand.

"You're being childish," Gaara stated as he raised his sand to block the shuriken. He couldn't believe his darling little wife had come up with this. What solution could possibly come from fighting him? He could admit she was skilled but that did not mean that he thought she was mentally ready for missions like the ones the ANBU would be preforming. This whole battle was a joke. From his right a kunai sliced towards him and he had to twist his body as he sent sand towards the object; it had barely missed his cheek. "What are you hoping to accomplish with this," he grunted out as he sent a cylinder shaped stream of sand towards her; he wasn't even putting effort into it.

The Kazekage's wife spun around and twirled about to evade the lazy waves of sand. He wasn't taking her seriously and she found herself so angry she growled. With a quick flick of her wrist she sent the kunai flying towards Gaara and quickly freed her fans from the belt around her waist. "I want you to respect me and trust that I am a capable ninja! I just want you to see me," she shouted as she flipped open her fans. The black and white fans fluttered as her wind chakra flowed against their fabric. She twisted her body around in a full circle and sent two blades of wind towards her husband.

The kunai had been easy to dodge; Gaara twisted his body and knocked it off course with a wave of sand. His eyes widened when he turned back to face her and saw the wind blades coming towards him. He performed a Sand Wave to block the attack. The sand raised high above the ground and he knew he had to act quickly; if Ren moved he would miss an opportunity to end this petty battle. From behind the wall of sand he punched his fist upwards, like an uppercut, and shifted the sand beneath Ren's feet up into the air.

The ground shook ever so slightly before Ren was lunged up into the air from a pillar of sand that had formed beneath her feet. "Getting drunk and destroying our sitting room is not the actions of a responsible person; it's certainly not the actions of a ninja," Gaara spat out as she flipped through the air.

To Ren's horror she flew up higher than she expected; he had caught her off guard with that Erupting Sandstorm but she wouldn't let him get her like that again. As she flipped through the air she raised her fingers to her lips and whispered, "Byakugan." Her vision changed in a way she was becoming more and more familiar with and she twisted her body midair to use Geppo. The kazekage's wife righted herself and stood tall as she focused her chakra on the air below her; constantly hopping on the balls of her feet as if there were a platform less than five meters from the ground.

A crowd had slowly started growing around the training ring. Ren noticed them with her byakugan; they were really putting on a show it seemed. Her anger still flowed through her veins like fire and she wasn't ready to give up no matter what the cost; she had to prove herself and get certain facts through Gaara's head. The woman raised her left leg high into the air, balancing on one foot, and then brought it down as she twirling within the air to give it more power. "I was comfortable in my own home," she shouted down to Gaara, "The objects can be replaced! I didn't feel it necessary to be on my guard in my own home because it's comfortable there! I should feel safe in my own home! It was an honest mistake that would _never_ happen on a mission!"

The Kazekage twisted and twirled his body to evade the blade of wind her kick had created. He focused his chakra into some of the sand and raised himself up off the ground. He and Ren were now at about eye level so he narrowed his black lined blue-green eyes towards his wife. She meant business; her byakugan was now visible. Sand stream after sand stream was flung towards the illegitimate Hyuga and she evaded them with too much ease for Gaara's liking; even in the air her elusion skills were graceful and efficient. "I can't be sure of that," he stated despite the fact he was fighting back the urge to pant; this was seriously straining him and his chakra wouldn't last forever. "You weren't a kunoichi long before your coma, were on a mission for four years where you spent time pretending to be a noble, and within weeks of returning you got pregnant. Your time as a kunoichi has been short and I fear that you are unprepared for this. You were kidnapped so easily by _civilians_."

Ren was so angry that she was almost seeing red despite the negative effect the byakugan gave her vision. It was taking too much chakra and focus to remain standing on the air and dodge Gaara's sand. She could feel her chakra depleting and it became just another obstacle she would have to worry about. She growled out as she continued to evade; she was unable to counter attack from her current position, "I was heavily pregnant and I thought that they were our ANBU! I was in a coma and I couldn't control that! _You_ sent me away for nearly four years! None of that was my choice! I did get pregnant right away but I didn't get pregnant by myself! I thought my career as a kunoichi was over and now _you've_ dragged me back into this! I may not have as much field time as the other Allied ANBU but I can hold my own!"

A wave of sand collided with Ren's shoulder and Gaara watched her fall to the ground; his anger was getting the better of him and he was thankful for Shukaku's extraction because it would be dangerous for Suna if the one-tail took over. His wife landed hard on her back and he watched as the air was knocked out of her. A more confident man would have returned to the ground and thought himself victorious but Gaara knew better than to underestimate an opponent, any opponent, even his wife. "Field experience can mean the difference between life and death," he spat as he continued flinging sand towards her.

Ren rolled onto her stomach and was up on her feet just in time to avoid the sand assault. "Then why draft me for the Allied ANBU if you doubt me so much?! If I fail so much why bother," she demanded to know as she stared up at him. _'I have to get him down from there,'_ she told herself as she watched him floating high above her on that cloud of annoying sand. In a swift movement Ren corrected her hold on her fans and created two cyclones as she twisted her body around quickly. The whirlwinds of air sucked in and spit out the sand as they swirled around the area wildly.

Wide-eyed and sweating, Gaara maneuvered his sand suspension to narrowly avoid the suction of the tornadoes. His visibility was low as the sand swirled around but unfortunately for his wife, Gaara practically was the sand. "I drafted you because you have the potential to be something great," Gaara informed her as he continued to move himself away from the cyclones. He focused on the sand beneath Ren's feet and decided to use Sand Attack: Ruin Burial on her as he spoke, "I feel like maybe I was mistaken; your actions last night, your performance during this battle, and the fact that we are having this battle because of _your temper_ are making me doubt my decision."

Once more the ground beneath Ren's feet began to shake and she quickly jumped away but it didn't matter; she hadn't gotten far enough away. A large and powerful column of sand erupted from the ground beneath Ren's feet with such fierceness that she went flying much higher into the air than she had from his Erupting Sandstorm. The pressure from the force used made Ren's body tremble with pain but she wouldn't give up; she hadn't gotten through to Gaara yet. As gravity took over Ren twisted her body and focused her chakra on the air once more; Geppo was saving her life far more than she'd cared to admit. "You are doubting my abilities as a kunoichi! I hate being underestimated and you don't' believe in me! What did you expect?! Am I to just take it? I didn't want it to come to this but sometimes the only way to get through to you asshole shinobi is with fists! I'm not giving up yet," she shouted.

A few of the females in the audience shouted in agreement while the men scoffed and cursed at the statement; they went ignored by the fighting couple. With as much force and chakra that Ren could muster she swung her fans around as her body spun on the air. Two blades of wind that made the previous ones look like child's play headed straight towards Gaara and his Sand Suspension.

The Kazekage threw up a wall of sand to block the razorblades of wind heading directly towards his head and chest but some of it managed to slip through; he hadn't got the sand packed together tight enough this time. Fire shot through his right cheek and lower abdomen as he felt himself pushed backwards off of his pedestal of floating sand. Everything felt like it happened in slow motion as he reached up to touch his face; he was bleeding and he just couldn't believe it. His wife had managed to hit him! To lessen the damage he would sustain from the fall he used his sand to cushion and slow himself down. He was furious that they were fighting and he hated pain but he couldn't help but be a little impressed by his wife; that wasn't enough for him to surrender to her, however.

Ren was making her way to the ground much slower than she would have liked but the motion of releasing and reconnecting her chakra with the air ended abruptly as sand connected with the underside of her chin sending her flying backwards and onto the ground. The sand burned so badly as it scratched at her face that the impact from the fall itself felt like a light tap. Her whole body burned and throbbed in pain; Gaara was throwing her around far too much. It didn't stop there; he was far from done with her. Sand was everywhere and it was taking everything she had to avoid it without taking too much damage; the sand that grazed her cheeks and neck felt like shards of glass slicing into her skin so thin it would rival a paper cut.

Her body was slowly getting tired but she was far from exhausted; she made a mental note, as she dodged Gaara's sand, to thank Lee for all the speed and stamina training he had convinced her to do. "I am not giving up until you stay down on the sand," Ren shouted as she finally found an opening and preformed another, more powerful Temptest Kick towards her husband.

Gaara flung up a wall of sand but it still wasn't enough; her wind release could potentially rival Baki's. In a last second effort to shield himself, Gaara crossed his arms over his chest and was sent skidding backwards. The Kazekage surprised himself by remaining upright. He mentally shook off the feeling of awe that struck him and stated, "You are foolish to believe you could beat _the_ _Kazekage_." With that he forced sand high into the air above his wife. "Maelstrom Burial," he muttered. It was a horrible move that he had to pray wouldn't kill her; despite the fact they were fighting he did love his wife and would never wish her to die.

Ren froze as the cloud of sand formed above her head and she steeled herself for what she knew was to come. With a deep breath she began rotating around in a circle, creating a shield made up of her wind infused chakra to avoid the shower of sand that threatened to bury her alive. When the cascade of sand ended everything was deathly quiet. The Kazekage's wife was nearly out of chakra; her body was becoming exhausted and she didn't know how much longer she could hold out against someone as powerful as the love of her life. "I'm following the motto Lee-sensei taught me," Ren muttered aloud more to herself than to Gaara. She lifted her chin high to show her pride. "I'm striving to be better today than I was yesterday. I know I can do better and I'll win; I have a lot more riding on this than you do. I have to prove myself and I will not give up until I have you flat on your back," she exclaimed as she removed the weights from around her ankles.

Ren's feet moved so quickly that Gaara couldn't keep up with her. A punch landed on his right cheek, another to his shoulder, and the third to his gut. Ren was running circles around him practically but his eyes just couldn't keep up; she was much faster than he had anticipated and she could possibly rival Lee with it. This battle suddenly felt all too familiar; Lee had been like this during the chunin exams that felt like a lifetime ago. Punch after punch hit the Kazekage as he tried to find a pattern or flaw in Ren's movements. It took him far too long, his body was becoming quite sore and he refused to use his Sand Armor to preserve chakra, but finally he noticed that Ren was continuously returning to a spot ten degrees from his right shoulder.

A burst of sand pelted Ren's face despite her speed and she was sent sliding backwards with her arms up to protect her face. She panted as she stared at her husband; she was trying to think of something, anything, to say to him that would make him understand her just a little better. She was wiping the sweat from her brow when a bolt of sand forced her to twist and turn away. Gaara's movements were becoming slower and he was sweating even more than she was; at this point she just needed to have more stamina than he did.

Sand hit her from the right, the left, the front, and even sometimes from behind. The kazekage's wife would not give up so for every hit he landed she gave him two. Her speed combined with her flexibility was the only thing keeping her standing; Gaara was the Kazekage for a reason and she learned the hard way that it wasn't just because he had a good heart. After she dodged one more stream of sand, Ren preformed an uppercut with as much of her strength as she could.

Gaara hadn't even seen that punch coming! He flew up and landed flat on his back; the air was forced out of his lungs. The Kazekage was far too tired to move; judging by the sun they had been at this for most of the day. Chatter could be heard from the peanut gallery but it didn't matter. He was too tired to get up and nothing short of a real enemy attack would keep him awake. His wife, his Ren, had done this to him. He wasn't sure how to feel about it. The fact that she could do so much impressed him beyond words but it was more than awe that he felt. He honestly wanted to ravage her; she had never looked more attractive to him than she did at that moment.

Ren waited for ten seconds to see if Gaara was going to get up. When he remained on his back she cautiously walked over to him; she was ready to dodge and counter any attacks made on her despite the exhaustion and soreness that were settling into her muscles. Gaara was looking at her with a look she couldn't comprehend. It almost seemed like the look he gave her before they made love but it was deeper than that; he looked frightened by still voracious. Ren propped herself up with her hands on her knees while she tried to steady her breathing. This was possibly a once in a lifetime opportunity to have the roles reversed and she would not waste it.

"Do you fear me," she asked him quietly.

Gaara's eyes widened a miniscule amount but inside he was laughing. She had seriously just used that on him? It was strange and illogical; everything about the events that day were hard to comprehend. She'd accomplished her goal though, or at least part of it; he believed she could fight for her life if she needed. "I guess I still don't know you very well," he muttered his reply lowly. Speaking more than that felt like too much effort; his body was begging for rest.

A bright smile formed slowly on Ren's pink lips; Gaara's heart clinched with anticipation for the next line. He knew exactly what it was his reply would be. "You can ask me anything," she whispered.

"Why did you marry me," he asked without hesitation. The question seemed vague but they both knew that he was asking 'Why did you marry me if I make you so miserable?'

Her grin became a strained smile and she fell down to her knees; exhaustion was taking over. "I married you because I love you more than I love myself. You mean everything to me and just because we're going through hard times now, that doesn't mean we won't still be happy together. I love you, Gaara," she told him just before her face collided with the hot sand. She was out cold.

A small smile threatened to escape the Kazekage. He glanced over at his wife and couldn't fight it back anymore. He had outlasted her, barely, and she still loved him and wanted their marriage to work. The voices in the background were nothing more than muffled noise as he closed his eyes. One voice reached his ears even though it was not directed at him but by that point he was a goner; sleep was taking over. "Is the Kazekage smiling," the voice had asked.

* * *

**Ren Note #2:** I just want to ask you guys... who do you think _really _won between Gaara and Ren? I'm not sure when the next chapter will be out. I'm doing what I can, so is RaRa, but life is torture. I'm excited about the outline for next chapter so I'm hoping I'll be able to get it to you guys within the next month-month and a half. I miss my weekly updates but it's just not possible right now. I'd like to personally thank all of you for sticking with me this long. I love you all!


	16. Ch 15: Doubt

The Kazekage and his wife stood in their bedroom staring at their reflections in the large mirror hanging above their dresser. "It feels so much different…heavier," Ren whispered quietly to her husband as she secured her new forehead protector into place on her unbranded forehead. She knew the statement would probably confuse him but she couldn't keep from voicing the thought anyway.

"It weighs the same as your other one," Gaara responded flatly without taking his pale blue-green eyes off his wife's reflection. Everything about the headband was the same as the others. It was made of a breathable material that didn't get stretched out easily, it was the same length of fabric, and the titanium plating was the same exact weight and density as every other; the only thing different was the engraving. '忍' meaning 'shinobi' resided right in the center, out there for the world to see.

"Physically, yes," Ren agreed as she rubbed her fingertips against the cool metal plating's insignia, "but I feel like this carries more weight. The Sunagakure one means that I represent my village, my Kazekage, and my comrades." She gave way for a small pause long enough to bite her lip so she could gather her thoughts before continuing, "This one means I'm representing the Five Great Shinobi Nations, peace, and all shinobi; that is far more responsibility. Did you feel that way when you first put yours on?"

"I suppose," he told her as he straightened the knot that resided on the back of her head, "I knew that it was what was needed to keep the world safe. That was enough for me to think very little about the headband itself." He wasn't able to comprehend her current obsession over the headband; she would be wearing it everywhere, while in ANBU gear anyway. He found himself fussing over perfecting its location simply because she seemed to have a lot of concerns about it.

"I guess so." Ren bit her lip once again then turned to face Gaara. "I'm going to miss you so much," she croaked out as she threw her arms around his waist and buried her face into his chest. Her pale eyes filled with tears that she tried to fight back but it was a fruitless effort; leaving her husband –and her son—was far more difficult than she ever imagined.

"I will miss you as well," he admitted as he rested his head on top of hers and traced small circles around her back with his palms. Her sudden change in mood startled him; and for a moment, he questioned if she were pregnant again and acting hormonal. He dismissed the idea; they had been taking protective measures and Ren had passed a physical given by Sakura herself. Things had improved between the Kazekage and his wife, thankfully, since their battle but that meant this was that much harder and he was sure his mind was searching for a reason to keep her in Sunagakure with him. "Come back to me safe," he requested as he closed his black-rimmed blue-green orbs.

"I'll try my best," she promised through sniffles. The couple remained like that for as long as they could before Ren pulled away reluctantly. "I need to get going soon. My team and team Saru will be departing in ten minutes. I still need to say goodbye to Kenta."

Gaara nodded slowly and fought back a sigh. Sending his wife to fight his battles was proving to be more difficult than he anticipated. Temari and Kankuro's teams had set out three hours earlier but even saying farewell to them was easier than this. "I will meet you at the gate before you leave. I have some last minute business concerning Team Ookami to attend to as well as making sure the communications room is ready to go. You do remember where the teams will be located don't you? It's important to report into them," he told her flatly.

"Yes, I remember. You'll be able to know about our battles before we get to the rendezvous points anyway, but I do know how crucial it is that we report in," Ren said with a nod. She quietly and reluctantly departed from their bedroom with her head held high; internally it was taking every ounce of willpower to take just one step. Kenta's bedroom door was open, like almost always during the day, so that was one less obstacle she had to overcome; even with that though, stepping into his room knowing that she wouldn't see her baby for a long while was slowly killing her inside.

Ren approached the infant who lay wide-awake in his crib cautiously; he was very in tune with her emotions and she knew he would pick up on her sorrow. "Konichiwa, my little prince," she whispered as she picked him up. "Okaa-san is going to miss you so much," She told him as she planted a gentle kiss on his forehead. "You be good for your Otou-san and try not to be too hard on him. Mama will be back before you know it, you'll see. The world is going to be a safer place for your generation once we're done, I vow it. It's going to be a true era of peace. I love you, musuko," She told him gently as she rocked him back and forth slowly with her cheek resting against his. With another light kiss on his forehead she placed him back into his bed. The little pale, almost white, blue-green tinted orbs of her baby boy drifted shut; it was like he had been waiting on her before he drifted into dreamland. She stood there for a little while, just stroking his cheek with the tips of her fingers in a whisper-light motion. "Be well; I'll be home as soon as I can," she whimpered to him with one last brush of her fingers on his cheek.

Ren was able to keep her tears at bay until she was out of his room and in the living room. Leaving behind her husband was terrible; leaving her son, her little prince, was unimaginably challenging. Everything inside her begged for her to refuse to go; to run and hide herself somewhere in Kenta's room and be accused of deserting. The salty streams of liquid flooded down her cheeks in a steady flow that clouded her vision to the point that she almost couldn't see TenTen leaning against the doorjamb waiting for her in the living room. She wasn't even sure how she had managed to make it so far. Her legs felt like they were full of lead; she still had weights on her legs but this feeling ran far deeper than physical.

"I know it's hard," TenTen told her as she pulled her friend into a tight embrace despite not being able to truly understand how hard it was, "But we're doing this for him and his generation. We have to clean up our mess and make the world safer for him."

"I know," Ren whimpered as she reluctantly pulled away from TenTen's hug. "It's just hard. I'll be okay," she promised as she wiped tears from her face but mentally added in, _'I hope.'_

"Okay." The weapon's mistress looked around and asked weakly, "Where's Gaara?"

With a soft sigh the Kazekage's wife wiped her eyes on the back of her hand one more and said, "He's got to get the communications up and running and do something with Kiba, Sakura, and Yamato's team. I'm not sure what's going on but he'll meet us at the gate to see us off."

"I really wish Sakura wouldn't have ended up on Kiba's team," TenTen muttered.

"I know," Ren agreed, "but it can't be helped."

"I still love him," TenTen admitted weakly as the two of them stepped out of the mansion.

"You probably always will," Ren responded feebly. After a short pause to form her thoughts she threw in, "But you deserve far better than the likes of him." Her heart ached for her friend and she truly did wish for TenTen to have better than someone who would cheat on her; that kind of betrayal was something Ren would never be able to forgive or commit.

TenTen smiled weakly and nodded. "You're right," she said gently, "I deserve only the best."

**XXXXXXXX**

Team Nezumi stood within a large stone room with very poor lighting. The walls were intricately marked with the same serpents and vines that were consistent throughout the whole base. They had just strategically disposed of every enemy ninja that came across their path but there were so many more to be taken care of. Shikamaru, Kabuto, and Ren stood in a triangle formation with their backs together while the latter searched the nearest rooms for chakra signatures. "I see five of them in the room in front of you, Mouse. They appear to be resting, judging by how relaxed their chakra flow is," Ren informed her masked comrades in a restrained way due to the lizard mask that rested over her face.

"It's a good thing we've been extremely quiet so far," Kabuto whispered in return, his voice muffled only slightly by his turtle shaped mask, "The more of them we can catch off guard, the easier this will be."

"Yeah. If we happen to stir up the nest this is going to be even more troublesome. Are there any others within hearing distance of that room," The Nara asked lowly. His usually bored expression was replaced with one of concentration and determination but was unseen through the mouse mask on his face.

After a few seconds of silence, the female among them shakily stated, "H-hai. There a-are two c-coming our way slowly."

"It's a good thing we hid the bodies well," muttered Kabuto despite not knowing where they were coming from.

"Which direction are they approaching from," questioned Shikamaru as he closed his eyes and pressed his fingertips together to form a circular shape with his hands.

"They are coming from the east hall," replied the Kazekage's wife lowly, "they seem to be guards simply patrolling the area. With that said," She continued reluctantly, "their chakra is abnormal in its flow."

"Are they clones," asked Shikamaru.

"I believe they could be," she replied but confidence was not present in her tone.

"Then they will be very easy to dispose of," remarked Kabuto.

"No," the Mouse-masked ninja corrected, "We hide and allow them to pass by us. If they are clones and we take them down, then we'll alert the real ones that we're here. It's best to let them go on and remain as hidden as possible. We're meant to be shadows and will remain that way. We'll take to the ceiling and hide ourselves behind the pillars. Move out."

With nods from both his comrades the three disappeared into the shadows of the room, each quickly taking their places to await the arrival and passage of the suspected clones. The thought occurred to Ren that perhaps the clones belonged to the lazing shinobi in the other room but she could not be certain of it and was sure her squad leader had similar ideas.

It was painstaking, awaiting the suspected clones to exit the large room. The duo had taken their time making their way into and across the room; their lack of dialog made Ren's heart pound even harder in her chest. If the two had been speaking then she wouldn't feel the need to nearly hold her breath; any sound could draw their attention and there was no ambient noise to disguise it.

Several minutes went by after their disappearance before the three ANBU regrouped, still gripping the ceiling with their chakra. "We need to get a move on," Kabuto stated lowly. He was all too aware of the risks that were involved in taking too much time.

"Let's dispose of the shinobi in that room and proceed from there," Shikamaru said while staring through the darkness towards the doorway. "We have to move quickly; we've taken too long already."

"You're right, I'm sorry that my byakugan cannot see all that far. There are still rooms that I can't find yet," Ren admitted.

"Don't worry about it. You weren't trained with the Hyuga clan so it's to be expected. You're doing just fine," Shikamaru reassured her while Kabuto remained completely silent.

A tinge of hurt radiated slowly through the illegitimate Hyuga's veins; she knew Shikamaru was trying to be nice but the reminder that she was an enigma to her father's clan until recently would always break open a few scars.

**XXXXXXXX**

The Allied ANBU squad known as Nezumi sat in a designated camp tending to their injuries. Ren had taken a nasty blow to the head and her unmarked forehead had a gaping cut that oozed crimson fluid down her already-too-pale face. She was wounded other places as well but for her team this was the most serious injury. Shikamaru had several cuts, scrapes, and bruises but was otherwise unscathed; the third member had taken a few kunai jabs to his shoulder but those had already been patched up.

"We started out strong but we faltered there at the end. In the morning we need to go meet up with Communications Team Eight in the end of the valley. We'll have to relay every detail," Shikamaru stated as he took a long drag off his cigarette; he was watching Kabuto clean the wound on Ren's forehead like a hawk through half-lidded eyes that gave off the appearance of indifference. "We need to keep our stride when we're out there from now on. This base was a success but it came at a cost and the kages won't be happy to hear about it. We weren't shadows; they saw us and attacked as a group. I wish these hideouts would take care of themselves but that's just not possible. We have to form a strategy and stick to it next time; we can't allow any target to scream for help ever again."

"Leaving all that blood behind didn't help either," Ren muttered as her eyes darted down to the ground. It had been her negligence that had allowed a kunoichi to shriek and alert her comrades; Ren hadn't moved fast enough despite her best effort and the aid of her byakugan to identify how close the target was to the puddle of blood Kabuto had left in his wake. She hadn't meant to make it seem like she blamed Kabuto; she knew she should have been paying closer attention and wouldn't make the same mistake twice. It wasn't even his fault that the blood had been shed; the man hadn't been effected by the poison.

"We all messed up," Kabuto responded coolly as he shoved a soldier pill into her hand and watched to make sure she actually took it. He wiped away dried blood from near Ren's eye, earning a wince from her. The wound was mostly healed but she would still be very tender in that spot for a few days. The majority of her face was caked in blood and it would not be an easy task to remove it without causing her discomfort; at that moment in time he wasn't bothered by that fact. He knew he made a mistake but it wasn't completely his fault things had gone sour.

"Yeah we did," Shikamaru agreed. His mind automatically went to his own folly; he had failed to calculate the probability that someone would return to the base after they had entered it; the mistake had nearly cost the group. It was such a simple variable and he had completely overlooked it. Next time he would plan harder and make sure it was foolproof; he had gotten in a hurry with this one and it turned out to leave gaps in his plans. In his self-loathing state he threw his halfway finished cigarette on the ground and stomped it angrily.

"What's eating you guys," A cocky male voice asked from behind the raging Nara. Members of Team Nezumi froze momentarily; their bodies going rigid. They were so distracted with their mistakes that they hadn't sensed anyone approaching.

"What are you doing here, Kiba," the shadow wielder asked without even turning around. He felt like he was losing his edge and couldn't place why; had he been inactive for too long? They all had been really; this was the first mission any of them had taken on that wasn't a simple escort mission or something of equal pettiness since the war.

The other two pairs of Team Nezumi's eyes landed on the spiky haired dog-nin and giant nin-dog, both members equally as puzzled as their leader. There were several predetermined locations that would be used as ANBU camps as well as bases for communications but Team Nezumi wasn't scheduled to be sharing a camp for another few weeks; the kages had attempted to plan and control every aspect of these missions.

"Tch, is that anyway to greet a comrade? Hell, Shikamaru, didn't your mother raise you better than that," Kiba asked with a sly smirk on his face that raised only one of the red triangular markings on his cheeks. Akamaru barked lowly three times as if he were attempting to lecture his partner.

"Kiba! We told you to scout ahead not to cause problems," another male voice, one with more authority, shouted from the direction Kiba and Akamaru had clearly approached from.

"Yeah, yeah," Kiba said as he lazily waved his right hand in a pacifying motion without turning to look at his squad leader who was perched somewhere within the trees, "It's just Team Nezumi so no worries, Captain Yamato."

With Kiba's words Yamato and Sakura appeared from the shadows. The pinkette had one arm draped over her captain with her jade green eyes barely able to remain open. She looked a little green, even in the dim firelight.

"Sakura-chan," Ren gasped as she stood up, nearly knocking Kabuto over.

"Hey! I wasn't done with you," the male med-nin grumbled as Ren ran completely past him and over to Sakura. He still needed to finish cleaning up the area around her wound. How the woman was standing, he would never understand; she should have gotten dizzy or something at least considering the amount of blood she had lost. He'd never understand women at all; wasn't she complaining about what Sakura had done to TenTen just a few days ago? That was all Kabuto and Shikamaru heard about as soon as they left Suna up until dinner that evening.

"What happened? Are you okay? Do you need to lay down? Kabuto's a med-nin too, I'm sure he can help you," Ren's questions and statements came out a million miles an hour despite the fuzzy feeling that threatened to consumer her; she had stood up far too fast for her own good. She had instantly forgotten about the harm both Sakura and Kiba had done to TenTen and Lee, two of her dearest friends, as well as her own injuries attained through battle, simply because they were comrades; Ren didn't agree with their choices but they were still her friends and allies.

"She just needs to lay down," Kiba grumbled. A low whine came from his canine companion as the nin-dog nuzzled his owner's hand with his large nose. A quick pat was all the dog received on his snout. Kiba's mood had suddenly plummeted from playful to irritable in record time. The Inuzuka turned away from the group and stared back out into the darkness, expertly casting shadows over his face to make it unreadable.

"What's eating you," Shikamaru retorted as Yamato, Ren, and Kabuto settled Sakura into the lone tent Team Nezumi had set up. None of them were the least bit concerned with Kiba's sudden change in moods; Sakura seemed to take the center stage. _'Are three people even necessary to tuck someone in,'_ Shikamaru questioned himself silently. Kiba's voice broke him out of his thoughts.

"Tch, don't worry about it. I'm turning in," Kiba grumbled as he disappeared into the tree line with his faithful companion, who had remained mostly silent and unnoticed.

"Hey, Kiba, wait," Shikamaru called out but it was too late; Inuzuka Kiba had made up his mind to be alone. "What the hell is his problem," Shikamaru muttered out loud as he watched the man and dog disappear from sight. It wasn't unlike Kiba to opt for sleeping against a tree instead of in a tent but his foul mood left a bad feeling deep in the pit of Shikamaru's stomach. Akamaru wasn't one to be so quiet either; he usually begged for food or explored the area. Whatever was bothering Kiba had affected Akamaru too.

"He's trying to figure out how to deal with fatherhood," Yamato whispered just loud enough for Shikamaru to hear. Ren and Kabuto also heard the news because they were right behind Yamato. All three members of Team Nezumi halted, each trying to process the information in some way. "Sakura's expecting, which is why we're heading back to Sunagakure. We managed to take down one base but Sakura wasn't feeling well and luckily sat it out. We knew something was up when she told us she couldn't go in there then puked all over the ground; it isn't like her to sit out a mission, especially an important one like this. We'll be needing a replacement member of Team Ookami before we can do much else."

"She's pregnant," Shikamaru asked, dumbfounded. He didn't understand how two skilled shinobi could allow such a thing to happen. Children were a blessing, someday he hoped to have his own, but they had been aware of the mission they would be given and weren't even together, in a relationship, as far as he knew. It seemed so reckless and unlike Sakura; he could expect Kiba to do something so unplanned but not Konohagakure's up-and-coming top medic.

"Is the child alright," questioned Kabuto. His own thoughts on the matter stuck strictly to the medical side of things; he barely knew Sakura or Kiba personally enough to worry about much else. As a medical professional, despite his history of being more like a psychotic surgeon than one with a prowess for healing, he automatically went into doctor mode. A developing fetus required a lot of precautions and care; he knew very well that roughly half of pregnancies end in miscarriage before the first trimester comes to a close. If Kabuto could do anything to aid in the life of another human being, didn't he owe it to the world to try? Kami knew he had taken far more lives than he could ever save but he was willing to attempt try.

Yamato answered their questions but Ren didn't hear a word of it; she had heard enough already. Sakura was pregnant. Kiba was the father. _'TenTen will be devastated when she finds out. Lee probably will be too. How could those two be so careless? Don't they realize they're playing with more lives than just their own? Now there's an innocent little baby involved and I can't see either of them giving up their ambitions for it. Children are a lot of work and responsibility; you can't just leave them at home to pursue your own desires!' _

A pang of guilt washed over the Kazekage's wife making her drop her head and grit her teeth; wasn't that what she was doing? _'No,'_ she reminded herself the real reason she was there, _'I'm here to make this world safer for him. I didn't choose this path but I will prove Gaara made the right choice. I can't let them down. Sakura and Kiba are having a baby. How are they going to handle it? Will that child be alright? I really hope so. Please, Kami, help Lee and TenTen be able to handle this news and watch over that baby,'_ Ren plead in her mind with worry brewing deep within her soul.

As her thoughts came to a close she realized something that she hoped would be an opportunity. "C-Ca-Captain Y-ya-Yamato?" The ANBU captain stopped midsentence to look directly at Ren. "C-could you," she bit her lip and felt a slight blush being to pool against her far too pale cheeks. She cleared her throat; getting all worked up and stuttering wouldn't accomplish anything; she needed to get her words out. "Could you take a letter to my husband for me?" Her request was rushed but much more understandable than she had imagined.

"But why? Can't you just tell him when you visit communications," Kabuto questioned with an eyebrow raised. It seemed like a waste of paper, ink, and effort.

"S-some th-thi-things," Ren started but bit her lip hard. _'Stop getting embarrassed! You're married to the Kazekage! This is no time to be weak; they'll understand,'_ she mentally scolded herself. With a deep breath she closed her eyes and tried to speak again, "Some things aren't meant to be said through communications. It's meant for relaying details about our missions not our personal feelings. There's things I want to tell Gaara as soon as possible. Captain Yamato," she opened her eyes to stare into the dark ones of the wood-style user, "I beg you to take my words to Gaara because you will see him far sooner than I will."

"Of course, Sabaku-sama," Yamato told her with a genuine smile. It wouldn't be the end of the world for him to deliver a love letter; he hoped someday he would meet a woman who loved him enough to do the very same thing, assuming such a thing was possible.

"Thank you," She whispered with her heart swelling with joy in her chest, "I'll write it quickly."

She rushed past Kabuto and Shikamaru again, heading towards the tent where her bag lay. "Hey wait a second," Kabuto called after her, "you still need to get cleaned up!"

Shikamaru sighed quietly. "She's going to work herself to death over a letter," he commented.

"Love makes you do such things," Yamato stated with a sly smile on his face.

XXXXXXXXXX

Gaara stood within the communications headquarters staring at several scrolls filled with information about Orochimaru's research; how these things had been overlooked and ignored for so long the fifth Kazekage couldn't fathom. A word on one of the pages grabbed his attention and his hands quickly lifted the scroll to give it his full attention.

A small group of sensory ninja skilled in using a Sensing Water Sphere jutsu sat in a circle with their hands extended in the center of the room; they were watching every allied shinobi platoon that was currently discharged.

"Kazekage-sama," someone from communications called out to him.

The man was about to say more but Gaara cut him off. "I need to speak to the Mizukage immediately! Connect me to Kirigakure," he commanded.

The shinobi shook in fear at Gaara's tone. "I will, sir, but," he managed to squeak out.

"It can wait," Gaara demanded. Within his mind he knew he had to get information regarding the contents of that scroll from the Mizukage. The Hidden Mist village had a forbidden jutsu, one that manipulated blood like water, and it had somehow fallen into Orochimaru's hands at some point.

"Y-y-yes s-s-s-sir," the shinobi stammered out as he lifted his hand to his forehead in a salute. The man ran off to give information and within a few minutes he returned. "Th-they're ready," he announced.

Gaara turned his attention to the shinobi who would be in charge of the conference; he was no Yamanaka Inoichi but he would suffice. "Kazekage-sama," Yamanaka Zunoi said as he stuck his hand out to rest it on the Kazekage's forehead, "I've gotten in touch with Lord Mizukage."

_'__Mizukage, I need to ask you to send any intel you have on a style jutsu that was stolen from your village a few decades ago. It's called Blood-Water Technique. I've found information about it within some of the scrolls Yakushi handed over to us. Apparently there is a jutsu that manipulates the blood within a person's body as if they are controlling water. If any of our enemies have this jutsu mastered our ANBU will be in trouble,'_ Gaara told Chojuro through the direct link between his mind and the Mizukage's.

_'__I see. That really doesn't sound good. I'll have to do research of my own because I've never heard of such a thing. I'll get anything I can find on it sent to you as soon as possible,' _Chojuro informed Gaara.

_'__Good. Thank you. I'll let you know if anything changes,' _the Kazekage stated.

_'__I'm sorry that I can't be Sunagakure to assist you further.'_

_'__Your people need you there. I'll be consulting Nara Shikamaru as soon as we know more about this technique and when a counter-measure is formulated send the information out there. Be well, Mizukage,' _Garra told Chojuro before the connection was broken.

"I'm sorry, Kazekage-sama," Zunoi stated, "My abilities are nothing like my predecessor's but I hope that will do. I need to put my focus back to the battles now."

"Yes, thank you," Gaara told the blond ninja. "Junoku," he called as he turned his attention back to the other ninja in the room. A brown hair, blue eyed shinobi with a scar across his forehead nodded to him. "Bring me any information the Suna library has on any jutsu related to the Mist Village's Blood Technique."

"Yes, sir," Junoku replied with a bow. The man was running through the door within an instant.

"Kazekage-sama, a moment please," the first shinobi that he had spoken to requested. The man's name was Yukomi and he was a member of the Hidden Cloud village. "Word has come in that Team Ookami is on their way back here but the reasons are undisclosed at this time. They met up with Team Nezumi after both had successfully demolished one enemy hideout each. We have yet to hear from Team Nezumi on the details but our sensory unit knows their whereabouts. I was trying to tell you that Team Ookami had changed paths earlier but you wouldn't listen."

"Yukomi," Gaara gave a nod, "I am sorry that I was preoccupied. It seems like the matter has sorted itself out, however."

"Not exactly," the cloud ninja explained, "They aren't due to return here for three more weeks. Something seems to have happened to require them to turn back but we have no real way of knowing what until they arrive."

"When do we expect their return?"

"Two days' time at the earliest, Kazekage-sama," Yukomi replied.

"I want a unit sent out to meet them halfway. Something could have happened and they may need assistance," Gaara ordered. _'That or they could be imposters like from the war,'_ he thought to himself.

"Yes sir! I'll gather a troop of ANBU that are almost ready for departure. We have three that are scheduled to be sent out in two weeks, they're the readiest we've got."

"They will do just fine. I'm sure that this will be a simple task. I want a sensory ninja to accompany them so that I can be informed of the situation immediately," Gaara told him. His voice was returning to its monotone state as the adrenaline from his discovery washed away. Things were starting to get more interesting as well as stressful for not only the Kazekage but all the other Kage as well. Their very way of life stood in the balance; the Allied ANBU would have to succeed, for their villages.

XXXXXXXX

"Ren," Kabuto called out to the kunoichi; she was running full steam ahead as they left yet another base in ruin. Nothing, to his knowledge, should have spiked such a response but he hadn't been with her the whole time.

"Hey! Ren, wait up," Shikamaru shouted to her as well, "We can't work as a team if you don't tell us what's going on!" The woman had been eerily quiet since the departure of Team Ookami; her moods seemed to be all over the place.

The woman of their team stopped so quickly that her feet skidded through the dirt leaving two tracks in the dirt beneath them. "I," she began before sinking down to her knees without looking at either of them. Her byakugan was active but she wasn't seeing anything. "I just," her voice cracked as the heels of her hands dug into her eye sockets, "how could they do such a thing?"

Both men halted next to her and stared at each other in confusion. There had been some grizzly experiments in the last base, that they could agree on, but they had been prepared for it. "Who," Kabuto asked cautiously.

Shikamaru knelt next to her and placed his hand on her shoulder before saying, "These people have no regard for humanity; that's why we're doing this."

"That's not who I was talking about," Ren muttered as she let her head droop low. If she had her hair down she could all but disappear; it was a very tempting idea at that moment. Her heart was racing, her palms sweaty, and her eyes burned. After a few deep breaths she released her bloodline limit and sighed. "I meant Kiba and Sakura," she murmured.

Kabuto fell down onto his buttocks, knowing full well they were going to be there a while. The trio had made it quite a way from the base but weren't close to camp yet either. "Sometimes we can't help who we fall for," the medic-nin started.

"They don't love each other," she quickly countered.

"She has a point," Shikamaru stated as he got more comfortable too.

"Alcohol hinders the mind," Kabuto suggested as an explanation.

"I know that," she grumbled. She didn't want to dwell too much on her own experience with alcohol. Lee was her friend and she had still attacked him. Why had she done that? Because she was an idiot that's why! He had only been trying to help her. "N-no matter how inebriated you are though," she whispered, "you know if you're taken or not."

Shikamaru glanced between the two of them as they entered a silent staring match; neither yielding to the other. "Why do I feel like I'm missing something here," he questioned.

"Because _Sabaku-sama _has had her own dealings with sake," Kabuto stated.

Her cheeks tinted bright red and she finally looked away; her eyes found the ground. "We don't talk about that! I never once forgot that I was married," she exclaimed.

"No but you did forget who your comrades were," he retorted with a glare. She was being irrational and he had less and less patience each time she mentioned Kiba and Sakura. If he could get her away from Shikamaru and could talk to her one on one, he knew he could get to the bottom of her real troubles but it wasn't possible with the Nara always lurking around. He feared if he showed to much interest in the Kazekage's wife Shikamaru would attempt to castrate him; the med-nin did not wish to become a eunuch.

"I was just trying to protect myself," she responded coldly as she climbed to her feet, "There's a difference between not recognizing your friends and forgetting that you have them. I would never forget Lee were I in Sakura's shoes, or forget TenTen if I were Kiba. Now that they have a baby on the way things will just be worse for them. Children are a blessing and I don't feel that either of them will see it that way!"

She was about to take a step forward, as if to sprint away, when her fingers were suddenly laced and gripped with another's. "Sh-Shika-m-maru," she whimpered as she turned to look at the culprit. She wouldn't give him the chance to reprimand her. "I-If it's so e-easy," she began as he pulled her to the ground in the smoothest, gentlest way he could. She barely registered that she was on her rear-end; the motion had been so fluid that it didn't dawn on her in her haze. "If it's so easy," she began again, "What's keeping Gaara from doing the same?"

There it was; her insecurity out in the open. "We barely knew each other outside of training before we got married; I was gone a long time right before we got together too. What's keeping him from deciding that I'm not good enough? What if he decides he wants someone else?" Tears formed in her eyes but she refused to let them fall. "What if he doesn't love me like I thought?"

The questions weren't for Kabuto; they were directed at Shikamaru. He was who her eyes were on and it made the med-nin jealous. He knew her better than the Nara, it was him that saved her life, delivered her son, and it was him that always kept an eye on her throughout her recovery as a teenager. Shikamaru was just a guy she met. _"Why isn't she looking to me for reassurance,"_ Kabuto pondered. His heart felt heavy as he realized she wouldn't return his feelings in any sense. If he ever got the chance to talk to her alone, he would express himself more clearly.

Shikamaru's face remained blank as he stared into those endless watery white pools; they were lined at the bottom with dark circles from the nights of restless sleep the Nara knew she had been having. Her pain, doubts, and fears were so clearly visible right then and there. It made her beautiful, too beautiful, to know she was capable of such depth, conviction, and love. He cleared his throat and removed his fingers from between hers. "Not every guy is like that. Gaara's not like that," he responded, "once he sets his mind to something he's an unrelenting force."

Cold; ice flowed over her as she stared at Shikamaru. He abruptly felt so distant and the second her released her hand she realized something: she was alone. "Let's get to camp," she told them as she forced herself to her feet again. Her motivation and gusto were nearly gone now. She prayed Gaara got her letter and she'd hear from him soon. She needed someone to understand so desperately.

The men stood and both sighed in their own way before taking to the trees. "Thank goodness Matsuri isn't in the village at least," she muttered to herself as she followed behind her teammates. She had made things awkward between the three of them but she couldn't find it in her heart to care anymore.

XXXXXXXX

The sand kunoichi was having a difficult time flowing in formation with her comrades. "There seems to be a group of three staking out the base," she muttered as they leapt silently through the trees; her byakugan was active and she watched the swirling motions of different chakra signatures.

"Can you tell who they are," Shikamaru asked from her left.

"One is Kankuro," she stated. His chakra was something she knew like the back of her hand. "Ino's there too I think." She wasn't as positive about the blonde's. "I don't know the third's at all," she admitted.

"It must be Team Hachi," Kabuto through in his input.

"That would make sense; they're here early," Shikamaru sighed out as he pinched the bridge of his nose. "Let's catch up to them and collaborate then," he grunted out as he sprinted ahead quicker.

XXXXXXXX

"Man that really killed my body," Ino grumbled as she sunk into the pond the two teams had found near their joined camp. "I haven't hurt so badly in ages!" No one was used to the kind of strain these missions had on their bodies anymore; the good thing was that they were successful so far. Nezumi and Hachi had made a great team and this last base went down without incident.

"S-same," Ren muttered as she held her arms over her chest; bathing with anyone else was overly embarrassing. Her cheeks were dusted red as she shifted her body through the water.

Ripples formed and expanded around both women as they bathed back to back. "I-Ino," Ren called over her shoulder.

"Yeah," Ino asked as she turned to stare at her friend.

"Have you heard the latest about Sakura?" It was still on her mind; she could couldn't let it go.

"No, what happened to Sakura? We've been pretty out of touch. We don't have to go to communication bases like the other teams because I just report in. What's going on," Ino inquired.

Ren turned to face her friend, still mindful to keep her assets covered. "This stays between us," Ren begged and awaited a hum of agreement before continuing, "She's expecting a baby, I guess. A week or so ago Team Ookami came into our camp. She looked awfully sick so we helped her get comfortable to rest. Captain Yamato told Shikamaru that she's pregnant and Inuzuka's the father. He was in a really bad mood."

"Who was in a bad mood?"

"Inuzuka-san was. It seemed to bother Shikamaru most that his attitude was so poor."

"Wow," Ino exhaled as she sunk lower into the crystal clear water. It was like she suddenly needed to sit down. "To my knowledge neither of them plan on families for a long time," Ino murmured as she ran her wet fingers through her long, platinum locks.

"I don't know much about Inuzuka-san, just the little I've dealt with him. He doesn't seem the fatherly type." Ren bit her lip, she was trying to choose her words carefully, "Do you think Sakura will handle it well? She won't have… she wouldn't right?"

"An abortion? I doubt it. This is Sakura we're talking about. She's not got much of a maternal bone but I know she does want a family someday. It'll put her medical career either on hold or speed it up, I don't know which, and kill her ninja career for a while, but I don't think she's that kind of person. Billboard brow and I go way back, she's too soft hearted to even consider it."

"That's a relief," Ren admitted. She had had her doubts; she had even considered trying to adopt the baby if necessary but she threw that idea out for many reasons, the big one being that TenTen and Lee would potentially harbor ill feelings towards the child and she very much wanted to be around her friends. "I don't know much about many of you leaf ninja. There's the little I learned about my family, you, Lee, and TenTen; that's about it really on a scale that goes deeper than formalities. I'd love to know everyone better but you guys are the only ones I can really say I know fairly well."

"Oh my gosh," Ino exclaimed suddenly, "I hope TenTen and Lee will take the news okay! I totally spaced them being involved. It's a really big mess isn't it?"

Ren could have jumped around for joy except she wasn't feeling cheerful; her plan to slip in her own worries was going according to plan so far, though. "I don't think I could handle it if it was Gaara and I in their places," she murmured.

"I couldn't handle it if it was Naruto and I either," Ino responded with a sigh. "I started watching him more closely right after Sakura and Kiba did the _deed_ but he never once spent a second too long looking at Sakura. I still felt really insecure though; they made it seem like cheating is so easy but I could never do that. Even when I dated Sai I never once thought about cheating on him."

"I have two directions I want to go with this," Ren stated wistfully, "First of all, you dated Sai? When? How? Why? That's the guy with paper-white skin and the creepy smiles right?"

Ino laughed a little and nodded. "They aren't creepy. I thought I could teach him everything he needed to know about women and he always called me beautiful. I realized that I needed more from a relationship than just an ego boost and he realized that he needed to find someone who would make him smile a real smile. We parted on good terms but sometimes things are still awkward."

"You're a really good person, Ino. Much better than I am," Ren muttered.

"What makes you say that," Ino asked with her brows furrowed.

"I'm standing here doubting Gaara. You felt like maybe Naruto would cheat for a few days; I've been worried since I found out. It really started eating at me after we'd already set out. I was so busy being mad at Gaara that I didn't spend enough time showing him how much I love him. What if… what if while I'm gone he decides he's better off without me? What would happen to Kenta? I grew up with a single mom; I don't want that for my son."

"Woah there," Ino chided as she grabbed the shorter woman's shoulders, never mind that they were both naked. "Look, Gaara's not the type of guy to go back on his promises."

"That's what Shikamaru said," Ren murmured without meeting Ino's eyes.

"Then I'll say this too: He swore that he'd love you forever and so that's what he'll do. He's not the type of man to forget something like that no matter what the circumstances and neither would Naruto. Those two are cut from the same cloth. They love with everything they have and would die to protect the people they care about. Kiba's a dog, plain and simple. He follows his nose and we don't even know if Sakura and Kiba were truly happy with Lee and TenTen. I agree what they did was wrong but we can't condemn them without a fair chance to redeem and explain themselves. Gaara's a good man and he loves you and your son; I don't doubt that at all."

"Naruto-san really loves you too," Ren said with a shy smile. She was trying her best to ignore their closeness and nudity. "I needed to talk to you about it far more than I did Shikamaru or Kabuto," Ren said with a laugh.

"They're not good at comfort, I'm guessing? Well, Shikamaru has his own way of doing it and I've never had to deal with Kabuto in long spells so I wouldn't know," Ino laughed as well.

The two separated a little and went back to washing as their conversation continued. "Shikamaru seems like he wants to be comforting but then he gets all distant and weird. Kabuto's putting on a front I think. It's driving me insane. The man was fairly good company at home, a great listener even, now he's being a… a cold fish!"

"Weird… Want me to see what's up with Shika? He's like a brother to me and I know the inner workings of his mind pretty well."

"No. Thank you, though. I'm not looking forward to the cold months; things are bound to just get more awkward when we have to rely on each other for warmth. I'd hate to have Shikamaru mad at me during that time."

"Ew, please don't even bring that up. I can cuddle a bug or a puppet," Ino groaned as a shiver ran down her spine. "I'd rather cuddle Naruto any day. I really miss him. I wish he were out here doing missions too; then maybe I would get to see him. He would have this taken care of in no time."

"I'm hoping we'll get through this quickly and then we can all go home. I'd give anything to see Gaara and Kenta."

"We'll get there; it's just going to take time. I'm all clean, what about you?"

"Yep. Ready to return to our comrades," Ren askes as she began wringing the water from her hair.

Ino mimicked her actions, their hair was about the same length, and nodded. "Yep. It's starting to get pretty cold in here."

XXXXXXXX

The Kazekage sat in the rocking chair he had moved to his bedroom, rocking his son and humming every melody he could think of. The boy did this nightly since his mother left and it was straining his father's patience. Gaara missed Ren dearly, too, but they had to sleep; the Kazekage was getting less than four hours of sleep and his body just wasn't used to that anymore. He almost missed the days when he didn't feel the need to sleep; Shikaku's extraction spoiled him.

"I hope your mother is able to return soon," Gaara stated softly as his son finally began to drift to sleep. He didn't dare move until he was sure his son was sound asleep. While he waited his eyes drifted around the room until he noticed the letter on his nightstand; he still hadn't opened it.

_Team Ookami reported directly to the Kazekage and other higher-ups of the war council upon their arrival. "You see," Yamato began as he took a step forward, "Sakura-chan is expecting and we felt it best to return here but didn't want the whole world knowing the reason; rumors can be a vicious thing and if the information got out before our arrival it could have compromised our return."_

_Voices roared throughout the room asking questions and Gaara watched as Sakura began to try to close in on herself while Kiba took a step in front of her as if to shelter her. "Enough," Gaara growled out as he stood from his seat, "We will accept it as it is and pay no heed to the finer details. We have no need to be worrying about who the father is, how she was able to pass her exam a week ago, and whatever other questions you have jumbled together so loudly that you could potentially wake my son who is in the next room! These are questions for the Hokage and the Hokage alone to worry about." _

_His voice was one of authority and bitterness; the leaf were his friends and he would not tolerate his friends being looked down on. "I will find a suitable replacement for Team Ookami with the assistance of Captain Yamato. Inuzuka Kiba will escort Haruno Sakura back to Konohagakure and return within a week's time. You," he said as he looked at the other members of the council, "Are dismissed. Return to your positons." _

_He had no patience for the middle-aged geezers that still felt they had more say than he did over every little matter. There were a few snide remarks but the room cleared out quickly except for Team Ookami. When the door shut behind the last geezer, Gaara spoke again. "Kiba, I'm sending you so you can prepare your family for the news and so that you know your new, immediate family returned safely. Congratulations to both of you."_

_"__Thanks," Kiba grunted out as he nodded his head._

_"__Thank you," Sakura all but whispered. "W-we'll be going now," She called out timidly._

_"__Travel safely. You're welcome to any supplies you may need for your journey. Kiba, I'll see you in a week."_

_The duo nodded and walked out. Yamato had been standing by quietly awaiting his turn to speak. "Kazekage-sama, I have a letter for you," he stated as he pulled a folded, wrinkly piece of paper from one of his vest pockets. "It's from your wife. She wrote it in a hurry but she was adamant that you got it. Kabuto was chasing her around the camp trying to finish healing a minor injury she had acquired but she had to finish your letter first. She's perfectly fine now, however. Your wife is really something else," Yamato told him with a smile._

_Gaara shifted the letter back and forth between his hands; suddenly he understood why Ren had felt her forehead protector was heavier. This letter was heavy too. "Thank you," he told him, "I'll have to look at our next wave's roster to see who best qualifies for your squad. I'll send for you when I've narrowed it down tomorrow."_

_"__Of course, Kazekage-sama. It isn't every day that a squad leader gets a say in choosing his squad," Yamato stated as he bowed. Gaara could only nod as he watched Yamato leave the room. No sooner did the door close, crying began to echo from the room next door._

The letter had been in that same place for two weeks, untouched and unread. He couldn't bring himself to read it for fear that she was enjoying her newfound freedom or perhaps Kabuto had won her heart. It was an unsettling situation and he dreaded finding out that she was done with him. The Kazekage would rather remain oblivious, at least for a while longer, but it was haunting his mind.

Kenta began making sucking noises with his pacifier as soon as it slipped from his mouth, drawing Gaara out of his dark thoughts. The tip of the pacifier was rubbed against the boy's lips until he instinctively opened and began sucking on it. That was Gaara's signal that it was safe to put him to bed.

Once his son was tucked in, safe and snug, Gaara went over to his bed and fell upon it. Again the letter drew his attention. For a brief moment he considered shoving it in a drawer or burning it all together, but the moment his hand touched the paper he knew better. Cautiously he opened it, as if a snake would jump from it to end his life. The breath in his throat halted as he skimmed the first lines for any sign of his fears being correct. Once it was obvious that he had been wrong, he exhaled and closed his eyes for a moment. The relief that washed over him was so great that the peace he found in it almost lulled him to sleep right then and there.

**My Dearest Gaara,**

**I don't have much time to write because Team Ookami has to get back to you quickly but I did ask Captain Yamato to deliver this to you. I miss you so much, I miss our son. Being away from both of you is by far the hardest thing I've ever had to do and I wish so badly I could be at home with you both. Our first mission was a modest success but this is far more difficult than I thought it would be. Shikamaru and Kabuto seem to dislike each other and I'm not sure what to do; it's almost like being the rope in a game of tug-o-war. We're making plans for our next missions and going over them as we travel from now on. Please have us home by the cold months (I know that's probably impossible) because I do not desire having to use my teammates for warmth. No matter what their body heat… they will never warm me the way you do. Give Kenta all of my love, remind him that I'm doing this for him, and stay safe. Please be there waiting when I come back… **

**Yours,**

**Ren.**

The last sentence drew him off guard. "Where else would I be," he murmured lowly as he folded the letter closed. Team Ookami had already set out with its newest member. He wished he had read the letter sooner, then he could have asked Yamato about his wife's mental state in detail. It hadn't seemed out of the ordinary that she had rushed to write or that she was injured and Kabuto was healing her. Nothing had felt off about the situation at all.

"What is going on in your head," he pondered aloud. The letter returned to its place on the nightstand and the Kazekage allowed his eyes to drift shut. Sleep would take a while longer to achieve; his mind was now racing even faster than his heart.

* * *

**Ren Note: **It's been a long time, dearies. It's taken us (RaRa and I) forever to complete this chapter. If you want details, feel free to pm me and I can give those to you. There is no schedule for this or my new story _Make It Count_ (check it out if you want to see another take on Ren) right now. I wish I could write more often. Thank you for bearing with me. I realize this chapter is not the same length as many of the previous ones... but I just can't keep doing chapters of that length. I hope this will suffice.

I do have a special little something I want to say: RaRa is the best person in the whole world. He's got a lot of his own stuff going on but still makes time for me and my crazy (and sometimes lazy) ambitions. He really is what keeps this thing going, guys. If you're kind enough to review... I'd be tickled if you would say a little thank you to him too! The jutsus Ren uses (you'll see battle next chapter) are his doing. Whenever there's a fight scene, he makes them what they are. I'm the lover, he's the fighter and he truly makes me a better writer. I love him to bits and I hope you all appreciate him too. You humble us both and give us the warm fuzzies. Again... Thank you for sticking with us. It means the world to us.


	17. Ch 16: What Are You Doing Here? !

Chapter Sixteen:

Crickets chattered in the background as Shikamaru and Ren lay sleeping in their tent; it was Kabuto's turn to stand watch and all was seemingly calm. Within the dark green canvas, the female member of team Nezumi rolled about in her sleep completely unaware that she was, in fact, dreaming.

"Gaara," she groaned out with her eyes shut tightly. "S-stop! Th-That tickles," she squirmed and attempted to get away from the crimson locks assaulting her nose. They were pressed together on their luxurious bed with his face buried against her neck and Gaara was making no motions to ever let her go. Despite the tingly feeling of his hair, her heart was warmer than it had ever been before; he loved her as much as she loved him. "Gaara," she whispered as her body adjusted to the feather-light touch of his silken hair, "I've missed you so much."

"I've missed you more," his sultry voice radiated throughout her body and soul, leaving goose bumps on her flesh and a burning in her lower abdomen. He leaned up to stare into her eyes; blue-green eyes met white and it was as if the world around them stopped. Her heart pound wildly in her chest and her whole body felt like it had caught flame.

"H-how much," she dared to ask; her desire was so strong that she felt much bolder than the last time they saw each other.

In an instant, without either of them moving they were naked and the scene changed to one that was equally familiar to her; she didn't notice the strangeness, just that she was still with him. They were on a picnic blanket upon a sand dune overlooking the setting sun. Its golden rays played across his sun-kissed skin, encircling his whole being and making him look like an angel perched just above her. He was her angel and she would give him everything she had to offer; if ever he needed something she couldn't give, she would find a way.

"This much," he replied as he kissed her deeply. Her mind was turning to mush and all she could do was return the assault on her mouth with one of her own; his tongue penetrated her parted lips giving her the opportunity to suck on his tongue lightly. Sand grazed against her skin gently and she bucked her body up against his with need. Her core ground against his length and a moan escaped her. "Not yet," he whispered as she moaned.

She could have groaned in frustration at his lack of entrance. "P-please, Gaara," she begged as she tried, again, to push herself against him. This time, a stream of sand wrapped around her hips to keep her from moving.

"I don't think Gaara and Temari would appreciate this," Gaara's mouth said but it wasn't his voice. Suddenly Gaara wasn't Gaara; he was Shikamaru.

Ren's eyes flew open and she let out a gasp. She was practically nose to nose with Shikamaru with one leg draped over his hip and her body pressed as close to his as she could get; she didn't fail to notice the hardness in his pants. His hands were on her hips like he was trying to keep her from moving any closer to him. "Oh Kami," she muttered and quickly scooted away from him, in the process brushing her knee against his arousal.

"Fuck," he groaned under his breath and quickly curled in on himself with his hands squeezed between his thighs; "Watch it!" His language and hiss-like tone were enough to distress her further.

"G-Gomenasai," the Kazekage's wife squeaked out as she kneeled beside the Nara. Her hands quickly went over her eyes as she tried her best to calm her racing heart; she didn't want to even think about the fact Shikamaru, her team captain, had been aroused by her dreaming self. They were human, both with needs, but they were also both faithful and she couldn't believe what she had done in her sleep. "I-I was d-dr-dreaming a-about G-Ga-Gaara. I-I s-swear I thought you were Gaara," she wailed quietly, feeling the need to explain herself.

Shikamaru stared up at her with squinted eyes; his scrunched up features made it quite clear he was in a lot of pain. "I kind of came to that conclusion ten minutes ago. I was going to leave you alone," he grunted out, "but then you started grinding on me and I had to stop you before things got even worse."

Ren, the wife of the Kazekage, had been trying to dry hump her team captain! Assuming she was doing so and actually knowing it were two completely different things; the level of horror that brought was excruciating. Her face was aflame with embarrassment and she prayed the earth to swallow her whole. "I-I'm so sorry!" Part of her wanted to ask in horror how things could have possibly gotten any worse but another part of her knew the answer and refused to toy with the idea.

"What's going on in here," Kabuto's voice erupted from the tent's opening as he made his way inside. The other two members of team Nezumi froze for a split second; it was evident that he was interrupting something.

"N-Nothing," Ren squeaked out as she quickly turned to face the med-nin. The rising sun's rays behind him were enough to illuminate the tent to bring both the Nara and Sabaku into full view yet darken Kabuto who was in its shadow. She had paled the second the tent flap opened up.

"Ren was just telling me about her dream," Shikamaru covered for her as he stiffly sat up and pretended that his groin was not hurting him at all. A yawn, possibly a fake one, escaped his lips as he stretched his left arm up above his head and covered his mouth with his right hand. "What time is it," he asked to change the subject.

"It's time to get up and get moving," Kabuto stated. He was staring between the two of them, analyzing them. It was clear to both of his teammates that he thought they were acting strange but it couldn't be helped; the situation had been quite embarrassing and would need to be quickly forgotten for everyone's sake. "Are you two alright," Kabuto finally asked.

"Yeah, we're good," Shikamaru stated as he began pulling his sandals on.

"It was just a nightmare, nothing to worry about," Ren lied. The dream had been wonderful; it was her real life self that was the problem in this scenario.

"Troublesome," Shikamaru muttered under his breath with a sigh. "Let's get a move on then," Shikamaru ordered lazily before anyone else could continue the conversation, "Base nine isn't going to take care of itself."

"Right," Ren agreed with a nod as she quickly began getting ready, too.

"As you command, Captain," Kabuto responded flatly as he exited the tent. Something was going on between Shikamaru and Ren; Kabuto was sure of that much. The questions he had to answer for himself were the same ones that had rolled around in his mind countless times: "Why do I care so much?" and "What's the point in getting involved in her affairs?" He still didn't have an answer for either question so he bit his tongue and continued his duty of guarding the camp until his teammates were ready to move out.

XXXXXXXXXX

The dark entrance to the ninth base on their list had been hidden behind a waterfall causing the three shinobi's footsteps to make squeaking and squishing noises as they walked down the first corridor. They were doing their best to remain silent but it just wasn't completely possible; every step the trio took had them holding their breaths expecting to be discovered. Water residue pooled upon the floor ahead of them showing signs that hidden sound members had recently entered and created muddy puddles as the proceeded into the bases depths.

"Can you see anything," Shikamaru asked from behind his mouse mask to the only Hyuga in the Allied ANBU. She was at the front of the group with her byakugan active as she led them through the passageway. The trio had been walking slowly for a good eight minutes and hadn't come across a single enemy; the Nara was on edge.

"Nothing of concern; I can't see any strong chakra flowing anywhere," she whispered her reply and frowned beneath her own mask. The things she saw were strange: more corridors and crevices than the previous bases, which limited her byakugan -even more so due to its lack of range- in trying to plan their path nearly impossible. These missions brought a new desire for her to learn from her father's family and harness the powers of her birthright, her byakugan. "I don't know what happened but there are a lot of injured people practically everywhere I can see up ahead." She thought she could be great without the Hyuga's; suddenly she hadn't felt more wrong.

"How many experiments do you think they've done that they just leave injured people lying around," Shikamaru wondered aloud. He was growing numb to the sickness each base contained but he still found small surprises in each and every one of them. The Nara male decided this was something that he would never fully adjust to.

"Lord Orochimaru would never leave people alive that were of no use or dying in a base. These people are amateurs," Kabuto muttered in disgust behind his mask. The snake sannin's experiments had been twisted and so the more that Kabuto performed them the sicker he had become, but he wasn't the same person anymore; this, the way the people conducted their experiments, was just insulting, though.

"There's a body just up ahead," Ren stated as she continued to survey the paths in front of them, "Something doesn't feel right." There was an uneasy feeling pooling in her stomach and she felt like every room she could see was overly stimulating her mind and eyes; she saw each of the ones in her field of vision all at once and sifting through them, trying to find a path that would lead them to a place with enemies, was causing a small headache to form just behind her eyes. She had never used the byakugan as much as she had in the Allied ANBU and it was beginning to wear her down.

"I agree," Kabuto responded; he couldn't keep his distaste from seeping through into his voice.

"Let's examine the corpse and see what we're dealing with," Shikamaru muttered blandly; this wasn't his idea of a good time. Everything about this base seemed off. They had entered with no trouble; there hadn't been guards posted just inside the entrance like the others. Ten minutes had already passed since they entered and no enemies had come into Ren's sight yet; the man didn't doubt his female comrade but the lack of action left his mind racing. There were so many different scenarios in his head and the likelihood of any of them being right was slim to none; had the sound already abandoned this hideout, leaving the weak and dying behind?

Both of Shikamaru's teammates nodded and quickened their pace. "I don't see any residual chakra like the last time there were traps around," Ren stated flatly, using her mask as a security blanket to keep all emotion from her voice.

The med-nin amongst them took off sprinting down the corridor as if he couldn't wait to see what secrets the body up ahead could reveal; it wasn't like him to act so brashly but once he heard there were no traps ahead, his body moved of its own accord. Behind him he could barely hear the padding of two sets of feet, following him at a more cautious pace.

The corpse was positioned just under a torch with its back against the wall, drooped forward as if he were just resting. The blood splatter behind him, slowly drying, showed that the man had been there for a little while and his death had not come quickly. A gasp echoed through the hallway and the byakugan user amongst them placed a hand over the mouth of her mask; she had released her byakugan to get a better view and instantly regretted it. The trio was silent as Kabuto lifted the corpse into an upright position.

The features of his torso was ravaged to an indescribable amount, almost as if he was torn in half and then burned by an unfamiliar essence right after. From shoulder to shoulder, the large open wound started to rip apart as Kabuto lifted the body for closer examination. A heart-stopping CLANG echoed throughout the halls as the weapon held by the body escaped its hands. Shikamaru was on edge, ready for any form of assault as their location was just given away; even Kabuto held himself in place as they waited for someone...or something...to come for them. For Ren however, the tension was not an issue, as she was fixated on the weapon in hand. A wide-broaden sickle blade roughly 4 feet in length, fashioned like a grass stalk fluttering in the wind: obsidian stained finish on an onyx base, held by a round handle with enough room to fit his muscular arms in. Not too far away was its twin, which was opened up like a fan to reveal three more like blades.

"I know this man," Kabuto had said, drawing Ren's attention back to him. The revelation left blood surging through Ren so quickly that her ears began to ring faintly. "He was one of the guards in our strictest prison base. He wasn't the toughest we had but no prisoner escaped for long with him around. He disappeared a few months before Sasuke deflected from us but we never looked further into it. A lowly guard wasn't much of a concern; If he even thought about saying anything to betray Lord Orochimaru and reveal any of his experiments to anyone, the man's brain would implode."

Ren's nose scrunched up, her eyebrows knitted down and she was forced to turn her head away while squeezing her eyes shut tightly. "K-Kabuto," Ren whimpered without meaning to; the truth was that it wasn't just his words but his tone that left her feeling completely disgusted. The way he talked about it, the way his hands didn't falter despite the gruesome scene… It was the first time that Ren really understood that this man, her Angel in Ninja Garb as she had once referred to him, was twisted. He still enjoyed the medical portion of what he and Orochimaru did and it brought up new doubts within her mind about him. Subconsciously, she shifted a small amount to be closer to her sane teammate.

Shikamaru spared a small glance when Ren shifted her body towards him slightly; he could practically see the gears running within her mind without seeing her face. "Do you know enough yet? Standing here like this is a b-," his words were cut off by what sounded like an explosion. "C'mon!" The Nara was running in the direction the noise had come from.

With no hesitation, Kabuto left the corpse and was trailing right behind Shikamaru. Ren activated her bloodline limit then was running right behind them but she halted after two mere steps. "Th-there's fighting up ahead," she told them as she watched enormous amounts of chakra flailing about striking the first healthy body she had seen within these walls. Quickly she grabbed both weapons the corpse no longer had use for and began tailing her comrades; it had been an action performed on a whim but she could not leave them there. The fan of blades were practically calling for her to retrieve them. "That sound we heard was raw chakra colliding with the northwest wall. I can't see it very well, all the chakra is melding together and I can't figure out what's old, new, dead, or alive." She bit her lip hard and fought to keep from wincing.

"That's fine. We know there's something really powerful up ahead and we'll see what we can figure out when we get closer. Just get us to the area, Tokage (lizard)," Shikamaru told her from his place at the front.

"Take a left at the next hallway then it's a long way straight ahead," Ren told them. Kabuto was eerily quiet and she wanted to ask him what was going on in his mind. She was behind the two of them and kept her eyes trained on the med-nin; an even more uneasy feeling settling in her stomach.

The trio proceeded in silence and quickly hid behind the doorway to peer into the room. Ren had stopped the chakra flow to her eyes shortly before they arrived because the room was blinding as light flashed throughout the interior. Shikamaru was the one to sneak a quick look around the doorjamb from his place on the opposite wall of his teammates; an audible gasp left his mask, "What the hell?"

Kabuto and Ren both took the chance to look into the room as well. Inside the room was a man-fox-thing firing dark balls of energy from its hands into what looked like the last of his enemies. "What is going on," Kabuto muttered under his breath; it was only audible to Ren who was standing right in front of him; he was leaning over her.

Everything seemed to stand still as Ren watched the display in front of her. A blood-orange chakra sizzled and crackled around the man as his red eyes slowly swept in their direction. On instinct alone the Hyuga shifted so that her back was pressed against the cold, damp wall of the hallway; she had hidden herself from view but neither of her teammates had done the same. Her head collided with Kabuto's chin but he didn't move; no words came from him and it was like he was too dazed to even notice. It took every ounce of her courage to peek into that room again.

Neither Shikamaru nor Kabuto stepped away from the wall; Ren wished she could see their faces instead of their masks. The two of them seemed to be in some sort of daze that the Sabaku couldn't understand. With a deep breath she carefully stepped away from Kabuto; his hand was now placed against the wall as if it was the only thing holding him up.

"H-how did you get in here," Ren asked with as much confidence as she could muster; she stepped into the room cautiously. The doorway had been a safe haven but once she was within the four walls that the strange being was, a heavy weight fell upon her chest. Her eyes scanned the area around her; bloodied bodies lay everywhere but they all seemed to be breathing. "You didn't kill them," she stated when no response came from the man.

A low growl escaped the being's parted lips drawing Ren's attention back to him. "Of course I didn't," he retorted; his voice was laced with malice. "I am not allowed to kill them."

Ren's brow quirked upward from behind her mask; neither of her teammates had moved an inch. "But there is one dead," she countered flatly.

"It is a death I shall pay for later," came the fox-man's reply.

"Why did you save them at all," she pressed as she cautiously stepped over one of the severely wounded bodies. "They are out to take over the world."

"They're just tools. Naruto was already upset that I have slain any at all."

Ren's confusion grew as she stared blankly at the man before her. "Why isn't Shikamaru reacting? What's got Kabuto so miffed?" Her thoughts broke quickly as soon as she realized she had allowed her mind to wander. "What does Naruto have to do with this?" One of the first things they taught you in Sunagakure's ninja academy was that your thoughts could be a distraction your enemy is looking for; she had to remain on target.

"Because he is Naruto," Shikamaru stated; he seemed to suddenly be broken from whatever trance he was in. The Nara genius made his way cautiously to Ren's side; he was careful to avoid stepping in blood.

"Wh-what," Ren stammered as she quickly turned to look at her teammate. He was removing his mask and she watched a bead of sweat drip down from his chin.

"He's right," Kabuto stated; his mask was already removed and resting on the side of his head.

"This is Naruto's Kyuubi-sage mode. I never thought I'd see it again," Shikamaru cut in. "I don't know how you managed to get here without Kakashi-sensei knowing or what you were hoping to accomplish, Naruto. I can't wrap my head around this one."

Both of her teammates seemed to be straining to comprehend the situation; perhaps even more so than Ren was. "How is it that neither of you thought up a plan like this," she asked before thinking.

"It's not like we could see what was going on in here to know who it was," Kabuto immediately went on the defensive; a small frown tugged at Ren's lips. "Stupid brat! He's always causing me trouble, even when we're on the same side! How could he come up with anything like this," the med-nin raged to himself.

"Naruto isn't even supposed to be a pawn on the field," Shikamaru defended himself, "I had no way of knowing he'd be here or that he was capable of doing anything like this." Shikamaru's thoughts were similar to Kabuto's. "How did he get here without Kakashi knowing he's even gone? This is Naruto we're talking about; Konoha's number one knucklehead! I should've expected him to do something so unexpected! I really am slipping. So much for filling Dad's shoes." Shikamaru's eyebrows creased down further than they had already been as his thoughts progressed.

"I am perfectly capable of formulating strategies, you insolent brats," Naruto's body hissed.

"You're not Naruto right now are you," Ren asked cautiously as she moved within a few yards of him.

"Is the Kyuubi controlling him," Kabuto asked as he pushed his glasses further up his nose; his features had returned to their impassive state.

"My name is not Kyuubi," Naruto barked out; the rage coming off his form was intense but Ren remained where she was.

"Kurama," Shikamaru stated, "If you're controlling the body, where is Naruto?"

With painful slowness the chakra receded leaving a blond man with red around his eyes, red eyes with seemingly two pupils that formed a cross, and thick whisker marks on his cheeks. His hair was so much shorter than when Ren had last seen him.

The red around his eyes faded to orange, as did the red of his irises; the vertical section of his pupil also faded away. One change blended into the next as his eyes became their normal cerulean color, his eyelids returned to their sun-kissed state, and those thick whisker marks thinned. "Hey guys," the man called out with a cheeky grin pulling at his lips; it was Naruto for sure

"Naruto-san," Ren asked gently, "What are you doing here?" She casually slipped her mask up off her face and onto the side of her head; despite the countless nauseating smells within the room it was pleasant to breathe more normally. The metallic scent of blood, moist scent of mildew, and dryness of dust assaulted her nose all at once and forced a cough that began deep within her chest.

"Hey are you alright," Naruto asked as he closed the distance between himself and Ren; a few bodies had to be stepped over which halted the quickness of his approach.

"I'm fine," Ren told him with a smile once she was able to pull her arm down from in front of her face.

"Naruto," Shikamaru stated to draw his attention away from Ren and back to the task at hand. "What the hell are you doing here? You're supposed to be back home in the leaf."

"I am, kind of. Well, a clone is at home anyway. Actually two of them," Naruto stated with a fake chuckle as he rubbed the back of his head; his hair was barely long enough to rake his fingers through.

"That still doesn't answer what you're doing here. It just leaves more questions that I can't form the answers to," Kabuto grunted out as he turned his head away from the jinchuriki.

"What does it look like? I'm here helping your asses out! This base had a lot of valuable information you guys were going to just let slip away," Naruto exclaimed with both hands now behind his head; the cheeky grin on his face looked strained but it was clear he was trying to taunt them.

"I don't understand how you even got halfway here, let alone into this base and incapacitate so many people. Since when do you kill or incapacitate anyone, anyway," Shikamaru asked bluntly. His mask was shifted to the side of his head, just like Ren had done moments before; unlike his female teammate no coughing erupted from him.

"Well, it's," Naruto's eyes fell to the ground as he clinched his jaw; the words were clearly not going to come easily. "Kurama and I came up with the plan. We've been here for months and when I'd start to get to where I couldn't handle something, Kurama would take over. We would still be doing this if Kurama would've remained calm like he promised."

"What happened," Ren asked meekly; she couldn't get her head around the situation.

"Kurama had a little flashback and killed a guy before I had the chance to do anything." Naruto's voice was strained and it was clear that he blamed himself for the death of the man they had found in the hallway.

"Is there anyone left that you haven't incapacitated," Ren asked weakly; they were here for a mission and no matter what this base had to go.

"Some of them managed to get away when I," his voice was strained, "first attacked," Naruto responded seriously; his tone and facial expression didn't suit him in the illegitimate Hyuga's opinion.

"Then let's destroy this place and get to our next rendezvous point. You can explain what happened then. We don't want to be here in case they bring backup," Shikamaru commanded.

"R-right," Ren muttered with a nod. Naruto's hands were still on her shoulders and she couldn't help but blush as she glanced at them. Shikamaru's hands weren't as big or rough and they had been on her hips earlier that morning. Internally she groaned and took a step back; her thoughts could not go that route no matter how unsure she was about her marriage. The doubts that Gaara would wait for her, miss her… they were still present and she was battling to keep them at bay.

"Let's hurry," Kabuto suggested as he began placing exploding tags in key structural locations.

"Wait! These people are still alive," Naruto shouted out to get Team Nezumi's attention.

"Yeah but we can't save them all, Naruto-san. They're our enemies and there's no time to try to change that. It's far kinder to end their suffering than to try and heal every single person here," Ren tried to reason with him.

"She's right," Shikamaru sighed out, "We just can't afford to wait around on you to have a heart to heart with each and every one of these people."

"Most of them are close to death anyway," Kabuto stated, "A lot of them seem to be experiments; they will not live much longer even if you do save them."

Naruto glared at the three of them. "I don't care!"

Sighs left the three ANBUs' lips. "Do we have a prison that can hold them all and give them medical attention," Ren asked quietly.

"To hold them yes," Shikamaru stated, "Treating them is another matter. Alright, fine. Let's notify base camp of the situation."

"What if when they come to retrieve these people, more are waiting for them," Kabuto questioned harshly. "Is it our lives or theirs?"

"It's so risky," Ren murmured; she was torn. It had been so easy before; she could distance herself from the situation.

"We collapse the base on them," Shikamaru stated coldly.

"I won't be a part of this," Naruto hissed out.

"Then wait outside," Shikamaru retorted harshly. "Ren, you stay with him. We have a report to file after this."

"Very well," Ren muttered as she slipped her mask back down over her face. "Come on, Naruto-san. We have orders to follow."

XXXXXXXXXX

Naruto traveled with Team Nezumi to the closest connections base reluctantly; he had made it very clear he didn't want to report in but Shikamaru had been adamant about following protocol. After the disagreement about how to handle the base everything was tense amongst the four of them.

"Naruto? What the hell are you doing here," a woman's voice questioned loudly as she broke away from her team and lifted the butterfly mask from her face. Her platinum blonde hair was pulled up into a high ponytail and within seconds she was in the jinchuriki's arms.

"It's a long story. I've missed you so much, Ino," Naruto replied as he wrapped her arms tightly around her; it was as if anything less and she would float away. He seemed to be drawing strength from her body to fend off his own weakness. Ino's beautiful blue eyes closed happily as she sunk into the embrace.

Ren wrapped her arms around herself as she watched the couple's reunion, silently wishing she could have the same thing. They whispered back and forth; enthusiastically reciting their love to one another. She would give anything to be back in Sunagakure with Gaara and Kenta. Her baby boy should be learning to crawl and pull himself up by now if he hadn't learned already; she was missing important parts of his development. Mild envy was something that just couldn't be avoided in their current situation.

Kankuro rushed up to Ren and threw his arms around her waist, lifting her up to his height and spinning around. "Ren! I didn't think I was going to see you anytime soon," he practically shouted with a wide grin upon his lips.

"K-Kankuro," she exclaimed as she giggled, unable to resist wrapping her arms around him and burying her face into her brother-in-law's neck. It had been a long time since she had seen anyone from home, truly from home. She inhaled his scent and was sorely disappointed to realize that he no longer smelled like the desert; his smell was that of a man who had been on gruesome missions for the past three-four months. "You need a bath," she muttered as she crinkled her nose.

"You don't smell so hot yourself," he chuckled and buried his nose into her hair; any piece of home was worth savoring, even if it smelled like corpses and sweat.

His facial hair –the result of being unable to shave regularly on missions—scraped against her forehead causing her to groan lowly. "You need a good shave too," she told him with a huff.

Shikamaru coughed lightly to bring the group back to reality. "We need to report in."

"Perhaps Ino should accompany us so that this is a story that only needs to be told once," Kabuto suggested as he pushed his glasses further up his nose. Irritation was practically radiating off of him as he watched the scene in front of him; his female teammate had looked pitiful as she stared at Naruto and Ino until Kankuro came up to her; instantly her mood lifted and it left a sour taste in his mouth to know that he could not bring her the comfort she needed. He seemed to be the only one to notice Shino joining into the mix.

"Right," Naruto sighed out with a nod. It was clear by the grimace on his face that he was not looking forward to the upcoming report.

Naruto and the members of teams Nezumi and Hachi all entered the main communications tent gaining looks of confusion from the sensory ninjas within it. "Team Nezumi did not complete base nine," Shikamaru began before anyone could start asking questions, "When we arrived nearly everyone that had been in the base was incapacitated. Naruto is responsible for the completion of our base nine." Shikamaru clearly wasn't going to beat around the bush; Ren couldn't help but wonder if he had wanted to get a reaction out them.

Gasps were audible throughout the entire tent; the only people not to show any emotional change were the members of team Nezumi and Shino who was practically hidden behind a high collar and dark goggles.

"You did what?!" Ino's voice reached such a high pitch that everyone flinched as she began screeched at her fiancé.

"I can expla-," Naruto said as he lifted his hands up in a placating fashion but Ino cut him off.

"What the hell were you thinking?! You could've been seriously hurt!" She shoved his chest but gained no effect.

Shino cleared his throat and began speaking, "Perhaps it would be best to hear his side of the story. Why? Because we do not know the details and it would be a waste of energy to react until we do."

Unfortunately for the bug user, Kankuro had decided to speak at that exact same moment, "Hey let's hear him out! We don't know what happened so let's get to the bottom of this!"

"Alright, alright," Naruto grunted out as he grabbed Ino's hands to keep her from shoving him again, "Geez guys." He coughed and continued, "This is what happened. Kakashi-sensei told me I wasn't cut out for ANBU, but because I'm training to become Hokage, I knew about the raids going on in the smaller nations. At first, I sucked it up and dealt with it but when everyone I knew started heading to Sunagakure for training, I felt pretty useless, y'know? About two months ago I left two clones in Konoha and snuck into the base you guys found me in by pretending to be a new recruit."

"Why did you leave two clones," someone from the intelligence team asked quietly so it was hard to figure out whom.

That detail hadn't seemed important enough to Ren for his story to be interrupted so she clinched her jaw. Almost every detail was a mystery to her still because Naruto had practically shut down the moment Nezumi decided to dispose of their enemies. He had been livid and she had had to remind him that either way Nezumi would report in and it would be best if he were there.

"If one clone disappeared I wanted to have a backup to show up in my place. Then he summons a clone for his backup. It's a way of covering my tracks and staying informed about home," Naruto stated as he stared at the crowd around him.

"How did you come up with that," Shikamaru asked because he was completely curious about how Naruto of all people could figure that out all on his own. The guy had an incredible heart and was stronger than anyone Shikamaru knew but that was strategic; Nartuo was usually brash not logical.

"That's easy. It was Kurama's idea," The jinchuriki stated with shrug as if it should have been completely obvious.

"Wh-what?"

"Huh?

"You've got to be kidding me."

The tent was buzzing with murmurs, questions, and complete shock. "Everyone please, let him continue. How did you infiltrate the base," one of the older shinobi asked to silence the others.

"About five others entered with me so I wasn't suspected of spying or anything. I just disguised myself and waited around for them to come and recruit me. "

"What did you learn," the elder shinobi asked. It was the question everyone had wanted to know the answer to. Ren, who was standing a few feet from Naruto, suddenly felt like the tent shrunk as everyone leaned in.

"Well, they are more than aware of our plan to remove bases in the smaller nations. I guess every experiment they're doing starts out in these bases but they're quickly moved to another one. I was a newbie so they didn't share much information with me. Where ever this base is, though, it's huge. In that base alone I watched fifty men enter and leave. A lot of them didn't even look human anymore though," Naruto's eyes dimmed as he clearly began to recall the condition of the experiments.

"The people they're recruiting aren't all ninja and they aren't all used as guards. One good thing I did learn is that they haven't figured out the reanimation jutsu yet; Orochimaru was careful with that one," Naruto stated in a soft voice that allowed his worry to seep in.

"I'm the only person alive who knows that forbidden jutsu," Kabuto stated after a cough to get everyone's attention, "The scrolls for such a jutsu weren't left in any bases because it was one we were constantly working on. They also shouldn't have access to his Immortality Jutsu. We were very cautious with certain ones."

Ren stared at Kabuto with bile rising up into her throat; he seemed to calm and casual about everything he had ever done. "Please continue, Naruto," another sensory ninja stated as others were writing down notes. Ren was drawn from her thoughts and forced to look away from her partner.

"Well, there was always a lot of screaming from the bunker underneath where we patrolled; that's where they conducted experiments. I never got to see down there but about a week ago all noise down there had stopped. A few weeks before that, no new prisoners were brought in; so I guess they were all being moved and were ready for us to attack that one. My captain was antsy about it like he knew something was up because apparently the base had never had less than twenty prisoners and now it had none," Naruto continued.

"We had the impression when we entered the lower bunker that they knew we were coming, too," Shikamaru stated with a sigh. It didn't set well with him and his mind was already trying to find patterns in their attacks that could give away their locations.

"Yeah, probably, but I also know that they're removing prisoners from a lot of the other bases. The leader, I learned his name, it's Tsukuda Michio. I never met the guy and it was a slip-up that I even learned that much."

"We'll start looking into him immediately," someone stated. Ren's head was spinning. This was all happening so fast and it felt so surreal. What was down in the bunker? She hadn't seen it because she was busy with Naruto; mentally she made a note to ask Shikamaru about it if that information wasn't disclosed before the end of this meeting.

"So how did you get found out," another person asked.

"Oh, that's easy," Naruto said with a shy smile and a nervous giggle.

Kurama stood at the entrance of the hideout –his position was deep into the hallway so calling it the entrance felt wrong but he had no better word for it- like he had done every day for the last two weeks; Naruto was always so irrational that they agreed he would be in control of this mission. A shuffling noise behind him caused him to turn and stare at the people coming to relieve him and the three other guards.

Red-eyes met red-eyes and something in Kurama snapped; the way the lighting reflected off the man's pupil made it look like the Sharingan. All logic and rationality went out the window as Kurama recalled every time he had been enslaved by those very eyes. His rage boiled and an orange chakra cloak began to cover Naruto's body; it bubbled and sprung to life, the first tail impaling the man just to the right his heart.

Screams echoed through the corridor, drawing the attention of everyone there. As the man fell to the floor and the lighting changed Kurama realized what he had done and growled; their cover was blown because of a trick of his own mind! "Kurama," Naruto shouted at him within his mind, "What the hell are you doing? You just killed him!"

A shinobi came at him with a kunai and he was forced to grip the man's hand to halt it in its tracks. The bubbling aura around him slowly consumed the flesh that it touched on the other man.

Two shinobi ran past them, screaming about 'Kyu' becoming a demon. There was no time to stop either of them as more enemies showed up. One by one, the denizens were taken down as Kurama made his way through the base and all that tried to assault him were left in his wake; the jig was up… Despite everything he had to fight his instincts to appease Nartuo; enemy or ally the boy refused to destroy life. Kunai… jutsu… swords… they were all aimed straight at the Kyuubi and his host. He fought them with great restraint but some of the wounds were near fatal. If the people did not receive medical help they would die; both he and Naruto knew it but stopping wasn't an option; no one else could escape from the base or things could get much worse in a hurry. Some of them he clawed, others he impaled with his tales, some were hit with tailed beast bombs he formed in the way Naruto formed the Rasengan.

Bodies littered the floor and all Kurama saw was blood. Naruto was screaming within his mind for the beast to stop but he couldn't; he asked Naruto for forgiveness as he began to run deeper into the base.

"Stop right there," a shinobi they had learned to call Ling shouted out as Kurama dropped the body of one of his fallen comrades. "I don't know who the hell you really are but this ends here!"

"No," Kurama shouted as his tail wrapped around the blade, "You can still release your hatred. Otogakure will be stopped. More will die; you do not have to be among them." Naruto had truly rubbed off on the beast; it didn't help that Naruto was lecturing him from within his mind.

"The way the world is, it has to change," Ling responded as he pulled his sword free. "I will help bring about that change even if it brings me to an early grave," he shouted as he began a full blown assault; Kurama dodged and parried every strike the man made.

"You will die if you continue this," Kurama hissed as he reached a clawed hand towards the man's throat, his sword clanked against the floor a few feet away.

"Then my brothers will avenge me," Ling spat out as Kurama's hand closed around his neck. "You are just postponing it," the man said through staggered breaths as the life began to leave his magenta eyes; his blue hair was slowly burning away because of Kurama's cloak.

"You are wrong," Kurama stated, "I am ending this."

Suddenly four kunai were embedded in his back and a hiss escaped the Kyuubi's borrowed lips. More enemies had snuck up on him. "Ling," a woman with deep red hair called out as she rushed over to the fallen man; it did no good he was going to die from the exposure to Kurama's aura within minutes. "Don't die on me," she begged with tears in her amber eyes as she tried to get him to wake up; the liquid dripped down to her fair chin and landed upon his motionless body.

"He's dead, leave him," another man shouted as he tackled Kurama. None of it registered to the fox; Ling had been kind to him even when the others had tried to haze him… and now Kurama had just killed him. "Ko-sama, you have to get out of here," the man shouted in agony as he tried to hold Kurama down; he was not resisting.

"Let's go, Lady Ko," another man said as he quickly grabbed the woman up into his arms bridal style and darted towards the exit; Kurama thought about stopping them but he knew… Lady Ko was a prisoner brainwashed into believing in their cause; even if he managed to save her she would never go back to the person she was before just because she was free. His heart, the blasted thing, would not allow him to harm her.

"Die," the man above him shouted, successfully drawing his thoughts back to his battle just in time to grab the man's sword inches from his chest. "You bastard!"

"This body cannot die," Kurama stated as he formed a tailed beast bomb, "I'm quite attached to the boy." The bomb went straight through the man and continued on to hit one of his comrades. Four were left staring at Kurama in horror but it didn't take them long to regain their morale. "Allies are coming, Naruto," Kurama whispered as he wrapped his tails around the four men. They all stabbed kunai into it simultaneously, causing him to let go with a low growl; it had stung. "You will pay for that," Kurama informed them as he formed his own special version of Naruto's Rasengan Barrage; he called it Tailed Beast Bomb Barrage. The men stood no chance.

"What the hell," a muffled –familiar- voice, asked.

It was time to let Naruto have control once again. "Did you have to get me stabbed so many times," the Uzumaki asked the fox as they prepared to switch back to normal.

"You are such a-a-a-a-a-a… an idiot," Ino howled as she shook Naruto; his story was finished and she was free to express her worry, excitement, and displeasure all at once.

"I was doing what I could to help out. When Kakashi-sensei told me I wasn't cut out for ANBU, Kurama told me that he was. It wasn't that bad, except at the end there. Kurama was really great and held it together for a long time."

"He's such a moron," Shikamaru muttered. "I never want to admit that Naruto out smarted me."

"He didn't seriously think that would help his case, did he," Shino asked.

Everyone in the room watched in horror as Ino went through so many different emotions that the poor jinchuriki just couldn't keep up. She never hit him like Sakura used to, but she could become quite the banshee.

"In all fairness," Ren whispered to no one, "Your wish came true, Ino-chan. You got to see Naruto." A small, sad smile formed on her lips as she watched the exchange; they really were so good together and Ren knew they would work things out. A small tear seeped from her pale eye and slipped silently down her cheek to her chin before falling to the floor; her heart ached for Gaara and Kenta.

XXXXXXXX

The communications room in Sunagakure buzzed with motion as the Kazekage sat behind a desk going over countless scrolls. The Mizukage had managed to locate legends of a jutsu that when the user's chakra entered the targets, allowed the user to manipulate the blood flowing throughout the target's body. The scrolls were vague and hardly useful aside from that; they had no way to know exact methods or who would be capable.

"Bah-un," the small voice of his son squealed out happily, drawing Gaara's attention to the infant playing on the floor at his feet, partially under the desk. The child was sitting upright happily playing with a stuffed teddy bear Gaara had from his own childhood. A smile formed vaguely on his lips; he chose to avoid the look of exasperation on his assistant's face.

"I am aware of your opinion," he stated flatly to the man, "I will spend time with my son while working whether it pleases you or not."

"H-hai, Kazekage-sama," the man murmured as he quickly schooled the revulsion from his features. The man feared the Kazekage and it was obvious in every motion he made; Gaara did not find contentment in the man's panic but was too busy with other things to attempt to sooth his fears.

"Kazekage-sama," a man from the floating communications sphere called out.

"What is it," Gaara asked as he scooped up his son and approached the mind-jutsu specialist.

"We've received reports Uzumaki Naruto will be arriving in Konoha in two days. Hokage-sama is warning that he will be sending the boy to you shortly after. Apparently, Uchiha Sasuke is missing and he wishes to keep that fact silent for now; Uzumaki is not to know but Hatake-sama suggests using Naruto to locate the Uchiha," the man recited quickly.

News of Naruto's base takedown had been given the day before so that was no real surprise to Gaara. He kept his face blank as he waited for the specialist to continue on about the Uchiha but the news caused him to loosen his hold on Kenta for half a second. The kazekage's grip on his son tightened just enough to ensure he wasn't going to plummet to the floor. Kenta began haphazardly banging the bear against his father's chest, making it difficult to concentrate on the words the specialist was saying.

"The Uchiha left through the Northern gate of Konohagakure at six this morning, apparently that's routine for him, but he had not returned by noon and a search party was sent out to look for him. The team found strange markings on the ground but no Uchiha in sight and the footprints, the leaf trackers say at least twelve of them, disappeared into the trees. The group was able to follow broken branches west and their scent for a while but the trail went cold at the river between Konoha and Tanzaku-gai. They are spreading out and searching the area but do not know where to look."

"How could someone as strong as the Uchiha be captured," Gaara pondered aloud as his nostrils flared.

"The Sixth Hokage believes it has something to do with the markings that were found. Uchiha Hinata and the rest of the village have not been made aware of the situation and Hatake-sama wishes for you keep this as quiet as possible. He plans to contact all Kage once his teams have more to go on."

"Silence feels like a mistake," Gaara muttered but nodded anyway. "Tell Hatake that I will not spread the news but he is to keep me informed on every possible lead. Naruto can report directly to me and I will figure something out for his placement that will leave him in the dark about his friend, temporarily." Lying to Naruto, keeping this news from him, felt like a betrayal of their friendship; the jinchuriki would not see the bigger picture when he finds out and that left Gaara's first friendship lying in the balance.

"Hai, Kazekage-sama," the specialist said with a nod as he held his hands up to contact the Hokage.

Kenta's hand-me-down toy fell to the floor and the infant began crying; all eyes landed on the Kazekage who quickly retrieved the bear hoping it would placate the boy. Children did not belong in the communications room but there was little more Gaara could do; his son was growing fast and needed at least one parent's attention. The Kazekage regretted sending his wife out into this mess and prayed she would be able to return home soon.

XXXXXXXX

The underground cave team Nezumi was sitting in was anything but comfortable; it was big enough to hold four teams spaciously but the floor was jagged and the ceiling was low. The trio ate in silence as they waited for their backup to meet them; this base was huge, bigger than the rest and headquarters thought that maybe it had information that could lead them to the main one.

"Whoever decides where teams meet up should really inspect these places first," a female voice said from the entrance as soon as her feet touched the jagged floor.

Ren lifted her eyes from her bowl of cold rice and a grin formed instantly upon her lips. "TenTen," she whispered in awe. The woman looked the same yet, different… Ren couldn't quite put her finger on why.

Lee and Sai jumped down into the hole right after TenTen and within seconds Ren was on her back with the green-clad shinobi on top of her; he had tackle-hugged her onto the jagged floor. Shikamaru had to catch her rice bowl in mid-air so that they didn't leave a mess. "Ren-chan! It is so good to see you," he called out.

"Quiet down, Lee. We're too close for you to be shouting like that," TenTen chided him.

"Welcome to our little hideaway," Shikamaru drawled out lazily.

"If you three are hungry we still have some rice left," Kabuto offered, "It's a few days old, though."

"We ate before we arrived," Sai stated flatly. His face showed no emotion except for a fake smile upon his pale lips.

"It's good to see you too, Lee-sensei," Ren murmured from her place beneath her long-distance-instructor. "C-could you g-get off," she asked as nicely as she could, "There's a really sharp rock poking my spine."

"I am so sorry," Lee announced as he quickly rose to his feet and pulled her up with him. A silent sigh escaped her lips. "Team Saru is here so now the mission will be a complete success! I will give it one hundred and ten percent…no, I will give it two hundred percent!"

"Should someone stop him," Kabuto asked quietly as he leaned closer to TenTen.

"When he gets like this there's no stopping him," TenTen stated in exasperation.

"Lee, perhaps we should go over our strategy before we figure out who has to give what percent to make this mission a success," Sai suggested.

"You are absolutely right! I will follow the orders given to me," Lee said as he saluted Shikamaru then Sai.

"Great, let's get on with this then," the lazy shinobi drawled out as he put down both bowls of rice. "Team Saru will take the first corridor to the left when we get in there; this time, we have a map of the base and have planned accordingly." He placed the map Kabuto had drawn for them in the center as everyone gathered round. "You will follow it until you get to this first room here," he said as he pointed to the map. "Its location is hidden but you just have to pull the eighth torch on the left to open it. Once you're in there, you'll deactivate the barriers they have up. That'll give team Nezumi the opening it needs to get to the inner chambers accessible from the right. You will meet us and go from there to the next floor down; the stairway should be in that room. We'll leave that area to you while we deal with the first floor."

"What should we expect on that level," Sai asked no one in particular.

"That's where we believe they will keep any and all prisoners; save the ones that haven't been experimented on yet and the rest we'll decide what to do with when we see the damage," Shikamaru replied.

"This base was used by Orochimaru as a trophy room of sorts. A lot of his prized possessions," Kabuto made quotation marks in the air as he spoke, "Were kept there until we found a more fitting and useful place for them to be. Leave water chambers and any vials you come across alone; they could still be filled with poisons."

"I'll be using my byakugan to keep track of everything I can but I'm not a trained Hyuga. If you need help, suppress your chakra for about five seconds. If we require backup, we'll set off an explosive tag on the floor," Ren specified quickly. She didn't like being the only way for her friends to receive backup; it put a lot of pressure on her and would distract her from the battle.

"Why don't we just use communication devices," TenTen asked skeptically.

"I thought about that but we're trying to keep from making too much noise," Shikamaru responded, "If we have to talk into it to let you know we're coming or vice versa, it could get the other team into a bind. If Inoichi was still alive we could use telepathy but he isn't so, for now, this will have to do. It's a last resort scenario; the explosion will draw more enemies towards us but it's all I've got."

"I could use my Super Beast Scroll to send a few drawings with you. When they disappear I'll know it and we can come to your aid," Sai suggests.

"I must really be slipping; I didn't even think of that," Shikamaru sighed out.

"You're under a lot of pressure," Ren told him gently and smiled weakly. She suddenly felt TenTen's eyes on her but she refused to look at her; they could talk about whatever had her friend staring at her so intently after the mission was finished.

"Alright, if one of Sai's drawings disappears, you three come to assist," Shikamaru stated. He had barely even glanced at Ren when she tried to comfort him… every interaction felt weird between the two of them after the humping incident.

XXXXXXXX

"Hurry up, Kabuto," Shikamaru hissed as he stood with his back against the wall near one of the room's openings. The med-nin had been looking over documents for too long as it was; if they took much more time-

A low rumbling had all three members of team Nezumi staring from the floor to each other and then back. "They're all fine," Ren whispered as she studied the chakra flow of Team Saru. "Shikamaru, watch out," she shouted the ceiling above him began to crumble. She tackled him out of the way but now the two of them were trapped behind a massive pile of rubble with no visible way out.

"Ren! Shikamaru," Kabuto called to them from the other side. "Are you two alright?"

"We aren't hurt but there doesn't seem to be a way out," Shikamaru replied.

"I'll get you out of there in just a minute," Kabuto shouted back. From his side of the rubble, six enemy ninja entered the room. "We've been spotted," he told his teammates.

Suddenly an arm wrapped around Ren, pinning her arms to her sides while a long blade came to rest against her throat. "Shh. Be a good girl," a woman whispered in her ear. Ren's heart skipped a beat and she could feel sweat soaking the inside of her mask. The woman had been invisible –even to her byakugan—up until that moment.

The lighting was dim but they still had visibility, so when the woman appeared out of what seemed like nowhere and grabbed Ren, Shikamaru saw her and was instantly on the offensive. He couldn't use his shadows because there wasn't enough light but he was still a shinobi and that wasn't the only trick he had up his sleeve.

With a kunai in hand, Shikamaru rushed the woman but she dodged, successfully pushing Ren into one of the walls. The kazekage's wife used her hands to lessen the impact but she felt like she had the first time she fell using Geppo; her bones quivered. Her left hand was potentially broken and her byakugan faded.

Shikamaru jumped backward as the woman slashed a sword towards him. Her movements were quick but well calculated as he continued to dodge her; a sword to a kunai was hardly a fair fight but it was the best he could do. The main goal right now was to learn as much about her fighting style as possible so he could take her down efficiently.

Ren watched as the woman swung her katana at Shikamaru repeatedly; she would wear herself out quickly if she kept that up. Ren's right hand instinctively went to her fan, she couldn't bend her fingers in her left; it wouldn't be safe to use wind cutter with Shikamaru so close; the corridors were too tight for a ranged attack.

The only option she had was the one she worked so hard to master; Soru. She and Lee worked tirelessly to improve her speed. With a deep, focused breath the Kazekage's wife zoned in on the woman. She needed to get to the woman without hurting Shikamaru.

As the attacks persisted Ren's heart rate increased but so did the bouncing of her foot on the floor. All she had to do was move fast enough, that same motion just propelled forward. She had to do it!

CRACK~ the wall echoed as Ren pushed the woman's body through it; she had been so distracted with Shikamaru that it seemed she had forgotten all about Ren. The wall crumbled behind them and the wall the two were now up against had fractured.

"How cute," the woman chuckled out as her body disappeared into the floor.

"Ren," Shikamaru called out as he climbed through the opening she had made. "Good thinking," he stated.

"She disappeared. She laughed and disappeared," Ren told him in a hurry. Her heart was pounding and she couldn't help but pant behind the mask. "I can't breathe," she told him through staggered breaths.

"It's this," he muttered as he forced her to stand up straight and pulled the buckle of her vest looser. "Take the mask off too," he ordered her gently as he looked around for something to help her breathe. He needed a paper bag or something! She couldn't start hyperventilating on him.

It was no use. Her mask fell to the floor and she still couldn't suck air in fast enough. The woman had laughed her Soru off like it was nothing. She'd be back and then what? Fighting Gaara was easy enough because she knew him and what he'd do, mostly… The bases before this had been a breeze compared to this; she had never had an enemy laugh in her face before; she had failed.

"Take slow, deep breaths," Shikamaru told her as she slumped to the floor. "Look at me," he demanded gently as he gripped her chin and forced her eyes to meet his. Both of his palms rested against her cheeks in a gentle but restricting way. "Breath like me," he instructed her as he took a big, deep breath then blew it out slowly. She mimicked him, their breaths mingling, and the two of them sat there breathing like that until she had calmed down.

"I'm sorry," she whispered. Their faces were so close and their eyes were locked but neither of them moved. She had been so unprepared for the woman's attack and reaction; despite how embarrassing the position was she needed Shikamaru for stability.

"Don't worry about it," he told her as he continued to stare at her, "Some of this stuff is just overwhelming but we really need to keep that from happening again. Hyperventilating on a mission could get you killed and I don't want that." He released her face then helped her to her feet. "We gotta figure out how to get back to Kabuto. I hope he destroyed Sai's drawing."

"Right," Ren murmured; a strange loneliness washed over her as she stared at his back, aching to step closer but fighting the urge to do so. Shikamaru started walking in the only direction they could go but he suddenly stopped and placed his hand on his right shoulder, the only part of him that was exposed. "What is it," she asked cautiously.

"I feel like I just got cut," Shikamaru stated as he turned to look at her, removing his hand to see for himself. The torchlight allowed her to see three paper cut-like scratches.

"Byakugan," she said as she raised her right hand up to her chin and focused her chakra to her eyes. The veins swelled with chakra and her vision changed. "Th-there's thin lines of chakra all over the place. It's like when Kankuro uses his chakra to control his puppets but much, much finer. There's no way to avoid them."

"Then follow directly behind me. There's no reason for both of us to get cut by these things," he informed her as he continued onward.

"Most of them should brush against your armor. Step to the right about three centimeters," she told him wearily. Their progression was now slowed but they finally made it to a large room without any threads cutting into them again. "We're in the clear," she stated with relief.

"Not quite," the woman appeared again. This time, Ren could see her chakra network clearly; it was bizarre: like someone had rerouted the whole entire thing. The tenketsu points were too small to even locate.

Shikamaru and Ren both got into battle stances with kunai drawn. The woman raised her hands into the ram sign and she called out, "Forbidden Jutsu: Blood-Water Technique."

Suddenly Shikamaru turned to Ren and launched his kunai directly at her. "Move," he shouted and she did what she was told without hesitation; his kunai clipped her ponytail though and left a clump of hair on the stone floor. "I can't… control my body," he told her as another kunai was drawn.

"What did you do," Ren shouted as she was forced to block his kunai with her own. The kunai slipped from her hand at the same time she jumped backward away from her captain. Her fan was drawn quickly; she couldn't be defenseless even with Shikamaru being her attacker.

"It's simple really," the woman stated as a smirk formed on her face, "My chakra is now flowing through his blood like water. He's just doing what I tell him to."

Anger boiled in both members of Team Nezumi but neither could do anything. Shikamaru cut her cheek, she was forced to land a blow to his gut. "That hurt," he groaned as his body moved without his permission.

"I'm sorry," she told him as she jumped backward. The situation left a deep pain within her heart; Shikamaru was a close friend now and she didn't want to hurt him but couldn't let him hurt her either. The feeling of hopelessness that washed over her was easy to see reflected on his face too.

"Look out," Shikamaru shouted as a man came up behind Ren and attempted to hit her with his fist; the man was practically a giant and his fist was about the size of Ren's head.

She spun quickly and tapped her fingers against his tenketsu points but all she managed to do was hurt her good hand; his body was as hard as a rock.

"That won't do," the woman cooed as she made Shikamaru charge directly towards Ren.

"You gotta get outta here," Shikamaru told her as his fist collided with one of the pillars in the room.

"I won't just leave you here," Ren stated firmly as she pushed her fingers against his wrist to lock that section of his chakra network. He hissed in pain but it was the only thing she could think to do; if he didn't have access to his chakra he couldn't move… so the woman's jutsu would be ineffective.

"Just go! I refuse to lose anyone important to me again," he demanded as he ground his teeth together. He didn't know what was worse, not being able to control his body or still feeling the pain. It was like his shadow jutsu but instead of having a limit like lighting… there was no stopping it. His mind was reeling as he tried to come up with a solution but his worry for Ren was making it hard to stay rational. Asuma continued to come to mind; this jutsu was also similar to Hidan's. There had to be a connection somewhere.

"I won't abandon you," she shouted at him as she spun around to kick the large man that was trying to grab her.

"Hyuga," the woman cooed out. It took Ren a few seconds to realize that she was talking to her; Hyuga was a name she had never, not once in her life, went by. "Come quietly and I'll release the jutsu right now," the woman stated.

Ren glanced at her long enough to see blood leaking from her nose; no one had hit her. Was that why the jutsu she was using was forbidden? She took too long looking at the woman… the man punched her abdomen so hard that she went flying backward and had no time to react.

"Ren! No," she heard Shikamaru shout out as she collided with a pillar.

The pain was instantaneous and left her momentarily paralyzed. Her body slumped to the floor but she wouldn't give up. She just had to get her body to move! Her head was spinning and the ringing in her ears was near deafening.

"Leaf Hurricane," Lee shouted as his foot collided with the large man's head. His foot was grabbed and twisted as soon as it made contact; the handsome green devil was sent flying towards Shikamaru. "Ren-chan! Shikamaru-san," Lee called out as he skid to a stop near the Nara.

"It's time to move," the woman instructed the man as he picked Ren up and covered her mouth with a cloth that smelled nauseatingly of chemicals.

Her byakugan receded and her normal vision began to blur; her body would obey none of her commands. She could hear the fighting but she couldn't stay conscious; the last thing Ren saw before drifting into the darkness was Shikamaru impaling Lee with a kunai. It had gone so deeply that Ren was sure it had been fatal; a large amount of blood was staining the green fabric of his jumpsuit. "Shikamaru," she wailed out in her mind and then lost her grip on consciousness.

The duo disappeared and suddenly Shikamaru had control over his body again. He was covered in blood, Lee's blood. "Oh kami, no," Shikamaru called out as the kunai fell from his fingertips.

"What happened," TenTen screamed out as she rushed over to the two of them with Sai and Kabuto right behind her.

"I-I," Shikamaru couldn't even form the words. "I wasn't in control of my body," he finally managed to say.

"Where's Ren," Sai asked as Kabuto helped Shikamaru lay Lee down. He was still breathing but he was going to need more advanced medical care than Kabuto could give when they didn't know how soon reinforcements would show up. "Is she injured as well?"

"They took her," Shikamaru stated as he looked to the pillar she had been bashed into. She had just been right there not even two minutes ago; he had failed.

Kabuto's hands faltered at the revelation; his anger boiled deep within his very being and it was taking everything he had not to lay into Shikamaru right then and there.

"P-please save him," TenTen pleaded as she knelt down beside Lee with tears in her amber eyes. "He's the only teammate I have left from my genin team."

"I'll try," Kabuto responded; he had to get a grip on his emotions.

"We should go after them," Shikamaru stated but Sai put his hand on his shoulder to stop him.

"We don't know where they went and even if we did, we need more than just the two of us. Kabuto and TenTen would stay here with Lee. We have to retreat, get Lee somewhere safe so he can be healed properly, and come up with a strategy. You know that," Sai told him.

"I know," Shikamaru admitted weakly. A growl erupted from low in his throat and he turned to look at Lee; he had stabbed him… he let them take Ren…

"It's not your fault," Sai stated as if he could read his thoughts.

"Let's get him somewhere safe and come up with a plan," Shikamaru grunted out as he helped Kabuto and TenTen lift Lee carefully. They needed to get out of the base before more enemies located them; this whole base had been a failure.

* * *

**Ren Note: **I hope this was worth the wait... and don't worry too much about the cliff-hanger. The next chapter will not take as long to come out. It's already written, just in final editing. I plan to have 18 wrote up (not final draft) before posting it however. It's not as far off as it sounds... hopefully. I hope you all are well and I miss your lovely reviews. Thank you for all the new favorites/follows by the way! I smile each time I see them and it drives me to plot further ahead. Have I ever mentioned that this story was supposed to end after Kenta's birth? No? Well it was... but I couldn't leave it there... not with so many ideas swirling around. This story is going to get darker... and the ending is in mind... I hope you all enjoy the ride.


	18. Ch 17: Hanging In The Balance

**Ren Note #1:** Happy Belated Holidays, Everyone! This chapter is our gift to you! Sorry, it's late but y'all know how hectic and crazy things get around Christmas! We've both been through a lot and changes are on the horizon for us both! Without further blabbering... Here's 17.

* * *

The communications headquarters buzzed as Gaara received reports about the data every sensory ninja was bringing in; Kenta stood on his lap grasping his fingers and jumping around; the boy seemed to be barking orders at them all through his own little babbles. One by one the ninja in the room fell silent; they were no longer sharing the reports with each other as they came in; the room fell into the silence of death. "What is it," Gaara asked flatly without looking up from his son.

The ninja looked around the room at each other, trying to decide who would be the one to answer the Kazekage. Suddenly one of the females was pushed forward towards Gaara; the shuffling of her feet drew the attention of his eyes and he stared at her blankly. "R-Right," the woman began with a deep breath to collect herself. "Three of our ANBU teams have been forced to retreat from the larger bases; several others are reporting the use of a jutsu like the one we've been trying to dig up information on. We've lost seven people and had others injured from groups that did complete their missions. It seems that what the scrolls said was correct; they are able to manipulate our blood somehow after we encounter very fine chakra threads; our people lose control of their bodies and the jutsu users somehow take enemy is fighting back in a way they haven't seemed to be able to before now."

Gaara exhaled the breath he hadn't realized he was holding in. "What teams are the ones to retreat and who have we lost," he had to know that it wasn't his family or friends; Kenta's mimicry of Gaara was forgotten.

"Team Fukurou," the woman began and Gaara tensed; Temari was on that team with Genma and C, "and Team Harinezumi had no casualties but they were forced to retreat. Teams Usagi, Kujira, Inoshishi, and Mujina were also forced to retreat. I have a list of names but I assure you, your family was not amongst them."

The Kazekage's heart was beating erratically in his chest until he heard that his family was fine; he assumed that meant his friends as well. Relief washed over him and he sunk lower into his chair causing Kenta to topple backward against his chest with a giggle; knowing people died saddened him but they all knew the risks when they chose their profession. His heart weighed heavily in his chest but there was a sense of relief within him that he could not deny.

"Kazekage-sama," a man said from his position across the room, "I have some unsettling news." Gaara was sitting up straight in an instant and his body was as stiff as a board; his hands had to grasp Kenta's sides to keep him from flying forward. The man continued with an uneasy tone of voice, "We just received a report from Teams Nezumi and Saru; they failed to clear out their base and Rock Lee was badly injured; he's receiving treatment but his condition is far from stable right now. Sabaku Ren was captured." The world stopped for the Kazekage and Kenta actually quieted down and stared up at his father with blue-green tinted white eyes curiously. "It is reported that Nara Shikamaru was the victim of the blood-water technique after he and Ren were separated from Yakushi Kabuto. The injury to Rock Lee and the enemy's evasion skill made it impossible to track where they have taken your wife."

A ringing began in Gaara's ears and all he could do was close his eyes; Kenta did the same just because his father did. His wife had been taken hostage after he sent her out against her will. They wanted her byakugan and everyone in that room knew it; Uchiha Sasuke had also been reported missing. Everything in Gaara was screaming for him to run out of that room and go hunt her down himself; he would kill anyone who got in his way of that.

Kenta tugged on his Kazekage robe and Gaara's eyes flew open as he stared down at his son. Everything about him, except for those white eyes, was Gaara. He wrapped his mouth, which had a few teeth in it now, around his fist and sucked on Gaara's cloak. The Kazekage could not go running after his wife this time without leaving behind his son; he couldn't do that no matter how desperately he wanted to.

Gaara pried the boy's mouth and fist from his cloak and patted his head before placing him in the playpen next to his desk with the stuffed bear that had lain forgotten on the floor; this was something Gaara had to do without Kenta in his arms. The Kazekage approached the head of their communications team and kneeled before him begging, "Please connect me to Hatake Kakashi."

"Yes, Kazekage-sama," the head replied as he placed his hand on Gaara's forehead.

"_Kakashi,"_ Gaara thought to get the older kage's attention.

"_What is it Gaara? We are having a lot of trouble here. Hinata is asking about Sasuke and I've had to lie to her about his location. The village is becoming more and more uneasy with the lack of shinobi around."_

"_This involves the Uchiha,"_ Gaara told him sharply; it was not a lie. "_Ren has been taken captive and Lee has been seriously injured; it is uncertain he will survive. They now have an Uchiha and a Hyuga and we have barely made a dent in their numbers."_

"_That is unsettling."_

Unsettling? It was infuriating! How could Kakashi be so calm and aloof? "_We need to make the other Kage aware of the situation and formulate a strategy that will get them both home to us quickly and safely. I want to use the Allied ANBU to launch a manhunt."_

"_Gaara," _Kakashi told him skeptically, "_I want to do the same thing but even though two people we care about are missing, we can't change directions. Removing the threat has to remain the priority; the Tsuchikage will make sure to remind you of that. I have been considering heading out to find Sasuke myself but it's just not logical. We do need to inform the other kage and we need to motivate our troops to finish these bases quickly; as we conquer more bases we are bound to find them."_

"_You're right,"_ Gaara admitted weakly fighting back a growl; sitting back and waiting for someone else to find his wife was far more painful than actively looking for her and coming up dry. So many things could happen between now and finding her; what if she was killed because he didn't go looking for her? "Connect us to the other kage," Gaara ordered quietly and the conference began… Gaara's inner turmoil led Kakashi to do most of the talking while Gaara only answered what he had to; he received the condolences of the other kage. None of it really registered within his mind as he thought about every horrible scenario; he couldn't really remember any of what was said.

XXXXXXXX

The camp Team Nezumi and Saru reported to was unbearably quiet after they gave their mission report; the eyes of pity fell upon the five of them. Shikamaru had been through more cigarettes in that four-hour stretch, waiting to know if Lee would live or die than he had in the past three days.

"They'll both be okay," TenTen told him from his left; the two had been standing outside the medical tent listening to med nins shouting orders and numbers to each other. "Lee's a fighter, so is Ren. The two of them won't let something like this ruin them. Lee is going to be back to going on missions before we know it and then we'll find Ren and kick the hell out of these bastards."

Her voice had been confident but there were tears forming in the inside corners of her eyes. "Lee will be alright, he's in good hands," Shikamaru stated with nothing more than a quick glance at her, "He won't be joining Neji yet." He would remain silent about Ren; the whole situation had been traumatic and he wasn't sure how to handle that yet. Everything had gone wrong in that base; Kabuto had taken too long looking things over, Ren and Shikamaru had drifted too far away from him, Shikamaru hadn't been diligent enough to realize there would be chakra threads… That blood jutsu… It was far worse than his shadow possession; Shikamaru could _feel_ the woman's chakra invading his blood and chakra network.

_Shikamaru watched through his own eyes as his body moved towards Ren; he felt every move he mad__e. Fighting to regain control wasn't working; there was nothing he could do to break free. The only thing he could do was warn her. "Move," he shouted to her as his body attacked. She dodged him and he almost sighed in relief._

"Shikamaru," TenTen shouted in his ear while snapping her fingers in front of his face. His eyes cleared up and he was back in the real world, standing in front of the medical tent. "Are you okay," she asked him with genuine concern lacing her voice. It was the first time Shikamaru had ever heard her sound so feminine.

"Yeah," he told her and nodded his head.

"How's he doing," Kabuto asked from behind the two of them. He was having his own feelings of despair and self-loathing.

"A nurse just came to tell us that the main med ninja will come to talk to us in a little while; he's finishing up," TenTen told the two of them; she knew that Shikamaru hadn't even seen or heard the nurse. PTSD was a demon that formed when a person went through serious trauma; Shikamaru was already starting to show signs of it. She bit her lip as she stared at the genius. "_I hope I'm wrong; Post Traumatic Stress Disorder would really disable him,"_ she thought to herself.

"I do hope they have good news to share with us," Sai stated from beside Kabuto; the four of them were staring at the tent expectantly, everyone lost within their own thoughts.

XXXXXXXX

The cell around him was dark stone, easily ten feet thick along the perimeter and seemed impenetrable. The solid steel door had its hinges on the outside, making it impossible to open. No cracks or seams could be located on the floor; the futon provided no options either. There were bathroom necessities but even they weren't practical for an escape. These were just the physical, material limitations.

The worst limitations were those upon his whole body. Uchiha Sasuke, the man who had taken on gods and lived to tell the tale, was unable to escape from his holding cell. The cell itself should never be able to hold him under normal circumstances. Amaterasu, Susanoo, and even summoning Aoda- any of that would be more than efficient to get him out of this cell. The problem was simple; the Uchiha wasn't able to use his chakra. Brute strength might have been enough to free him but right now he didn't have strength at all; he suspected it had something to do with the metal links around his wrists, ankles, and neck.

"Good you're awake," a calm, deep voice stated from outside the door after he pulled the metal plating over the door's window open.

Sasuke had heard the window sliding open; he knew it was only a matter of time before someone came to check on him; he had been awake long enough to thoroughly access his situation. "Who are you? What do you want," Sasuke hissed as he stood from his place on the futon; moving from it felt unnecessary. There was nowhere for him to go and he was so tired from trying to find a way out that the idea of the extra effort exhausted him.

"Tsukuda Michio, at your service," the man joked as he stared into the room; Sasuke couldn't see anything but the man's pale lips and thin nose, so Sasuke guessed he was about his height or a little taller. "As for what I want," the left corner of his lips twitched in amusement, "That's not something you need to know."

"So you aren't going to share your plan, that I am apparently involved in, with me," Sasuke stated blandly.

"No," Michio told him, "I have no need to share it with you at this time as it doesn't matter what your opinion on it is. You are not entitled to anything here besides the air you breathe. It would be a waste of my breath anyway because another is coming. If I ever decide to share much of my plan with you, it will not be until she is here so I only have to say it once."

"Until who's here?" The question was out before the Uchiha could bite his tongue. He was more than aware of what Orochimaru had been planning; was this guy going to try the same thing? He was going to go after his wife; Sasuke was sure of it. Hinata was nestled comfortably at home in the village; unlike him, she wouldn't leave it for anything, even guard duty. There was no way Tsukuda Michio was getting his hands on Sasuke's wife.

"You already know the answer to that. If I've figured in all the details, your partner will be joining you within the next few hours. I've been tracking her movements, sent my best after her, and they have succeeded. In just three hours she'll be here and there's no stopping my plan after that," Michio stated flatly, "You should clean up the dried blood on your face. It would be such a shame for her to see you in such an unsightly state."

The window slid closed and Sasuke pressed his head against the cool stone wall. They had managed to get Hinata after all. "Damn it," he growled as he punched the floor; in his severely weakened state it did nothing but hurt his hand.

XXXXXXXX

Darkness surrounded the Kazekage's wife as she was dragged across a hard, uneven floor. There was fabric covering her eyes, it had been there since before she woke up, and what little chakra she had wasn't responding when she tried to activate her byakugan. "Move it," a gruff voice said from her right and she was jerked forward causing her to lose her footing. She couldn't catch herself because her arms were behind her back; so when her face collided with a sharp rock, she knew she had broken her nose. The pain was nauseating as it raked through her entire face; a warm liquid was now dripping down her face but she refused to give them the satisfaction of her crying out. "Get up," the man ordered as he hoisted her up. "I don't know what the boss thinks is so special about you. You seem pretty pathetic to me."

She had to bite her tongue to keep from biting out a retort; silence would serve her far better than opening her mouth to a mere grunt. The walk continued on in silence with Ren stumbling and falling until finally the man pulled her to a stop. "Now listen here, and listen good," he told her as his putrid breath entered her bloodied nostrils; it had to be very bad if she could smell it over the scent of her own blood.

"_Listen well, you mean,"_ Ren wanted to correct his grammar because she was just that annoyed with him. Who the hell did he think he was anyway? She knew by the size of his hands that he was not one of the two people who captured her. Pain shot through her heart; she didn't know what happened to Lee. Was he dead?

"This here's where you're going to be staying. You might as well get comfortable with your new cellmate 'cause you two are going to be close." His laugh sounded like bricks clanking against each other and grated further on her last nerve; who the hell was this guy?

The motion happened so fast; Ren's arms were freed from behind her back and she was shoved forward. She fell once again but managed to catch herself this time. Intense pain shot up her left arm as she did. In an instant she was on her feet despite the pain, turning towards the man, and trying to force chakra to her fingertips and eyes. Nothing happened except that the door slammed shut inches from her face.

"When they told me they found my partner, you weren't who I was expecting," a male voice stated flatly from her right.

With her arms free she quickly pulled the blindfold from around her eyes and blinked to adjust to the bright lighting; her left hand hadn't been responsive so it was useless in the endeavor. "Uchiha-san," she gasped out as she stared into his coal eyes; his face was covered in yellow-blue bruises and there were strange shackles around his wrists, ankles, and throat.

"Sabaku-_sama_," he grunted in response, barely nodding his head in her direction.

"What are you doing here," she gasped out as she pressed the cloth from the blindfold up to her bleeding nose. If they had both of them… that meant… Kabuto had been right. "_Oh, Kami, no; they cannot use us for that,"_ she wailed inside her head

"The same thing you are. Glad to see they believe in equality and it wasn't just me they decided to beat the shit out of while I couldn't defend myself," he stated coldly. Silence fell between the two of them as Ren let the lack-of-information seep in. Lee was most likely dead; now she and the Uchiha were in the hands of the enemy. Quickly she pressed two fingers up to her chin and fought to activate her byakugan. "It won't do any good," Sasuke grumbled, "All you'll do is wear yourself out further. These are absorbing every ounce of chakra we have to spare." He jingled the shackles on his wrists.

"We have to get out of here," Ren told him quickly as she began to search the door for weak points.

"I've tried," Sasuke told her flatly. "We have to wait for someone to rescue us or the guards to slip up and refuse to give them what they want."

That answer wasn't good enough; they needed to get out of there now. Lee was gravely injured and she needed to do something, anything, to help. Tears began to form in her eyes though not as quickly as she would have expected; she was becoming dehydrated. Gaara and Kenta were back in Suna waiting for her. There was still so much to be done to save the world; she couldn't just sit there. "I could use my brute strength to bust the door down," she suggested desperately.

"They have so many locks on the doors that it won't budge, just because it swings out doesn't mean you can break through it," Sasuke sighed out; his exhaustion clearly noticeable in his tone. Dark circles and deep lines were beginning to form beneath his eyes as well.

"How long do you think it will take for someone to find us," Ren finally asked weakly as she pressed her forehead against the icy metal of the door. She had little ideas left; she would have to wait and play her hand carefully.

"How should I know," Sasuke asked gruffly. He was clearly not in the mood to answer her questions; he probably found them idiotic and pointless.

"So we just sit here and wait," Ren murmured as she turned her back to the last Uchiha; she needed to try to blow the clot out of her nose and refused to do that with him watching her. His coal eye seemed to burn into her soul.

"You should get cleaned up and get some rest. I'll let you have the futon," he told her as he stood. The two of them were practically squished together in the small cell and the difference in their height became very apparent; Sasuke towered over her more than Gaara and Shikamaru both.

Ren suddenly realized there was only one futon; it was big enough to fit the two of them if they were pinned against each other but that would be the only way. Her heart dropped into her stomach at the realization that whoever had captured them really did intend to get a byakugan-sharingan hybrid.

In all honesty, Sabaku Ren didn't care if Uchiha Sasuke thought she looked like crap or not but she did feel pretty gross. Hesitantly, she shuffled around Sasuke to the lone sink in the room; if she needed to use the toilet she'd have to do that with Sasuke right there. Her cheeks dusted red at the indignity of it. Quickly she washed herself free of the blood, dirt, and grime that covered her face and neck.

"You just had a baby a few months ago, right," he asked suddenly.

With a thin towel pressed to her face, she turned to look at him in horror; only her white eyes were visible from behind it. "I-I had K-Kenta t-ten months ago," she responded as she continued to rub the towel against her skin. It was abrasive and did little to absorb the water but it gave her the chance to change her facial expression from one of shock to indifference. The question threw her off guard and the mentioning of her son brought on a familiar onslaught of pain; when would she get to see her baby boy again?

"Damn it," Sasuke cursed under his breath as he leaned against the wall the door was on. "It's like they planned that, too."

"What are you talking about," Ren asked with her brows furrowed. Her head was spinning and she just couldn't keep up with his train of thought. What could possibly have him so visibly upset; his brows were furrowed and his proud nose was crinkled.

"Ideally, a woman should wait two years between children, right," he asked skeptically as he raked his fingers through his dark hair.

"Well, not exactly," Ren responded. It finally, partially clicked where he was going with this. She could lie to him about it but that wouldn't do either of them any good. "You see, doctors tell women that the ideal time frame to wait between pregnancies is two years but anything after a year is said to be completely safe. Anything before that can lead to a baby being premature." She only knew that because she had read Kabuto's medical books, "The body takes a year to heal but from a psychological standpoint it is more beneficial for a family to wait two to four years between children."

"What do you think it'd be from a madman's standpoint," Sasuke grunted out his question.

The two of them stood in silence, staring into each other's eyes as they weighed in every outcome. Ren had to distance herself and pretend she wasn't talking about her life and her body anymore; something in her broke away to allow only fact and logic to remain in the conversation. "Well, it depends on if that madman has a medical professional in his ear or not and how patient he can be."

"What if he's patient enough to wait at least ten months to hunt us down?"

"Then I think he's patient enough to wait two more months before pushing for us to give him a baby," she told him quietly. If she was wrong then Ren didn't know what she would do. Abruptly she felt dizzy and staggered over to the futon and lowered herself onto it. "I can't believe this is happening," she whispered.

"Get some rest. You look like shit," he told her in a tone that was too gentle for the man who had defeated Uchiha Madara. "I'll keep watch."

She wanted to argue, let him know that she didn't even trust him, but she was exhausted. If the Uchiha killed her in her sleep, at least she wouldn't have to bear his children. With a reluctant sigh, she pulled the ribbon from her hair, letting her long dark locks flow downward… except some of them didn't even reach her shoulders. Suddenly she gasped and ran her fingers through her hair; some of it was barely longer than chin length.

"What's wrong," Sasuke asked as he turned to look at her again; apparently watching her get ready to sleep did not interest him as much as the door to their cell.

"I-it's nothing," she muttered to him; he was a man so he wouldn't understand the pride she had put into her hair. Never before had she cut it shorter than mid-waist length; now she would have to hope that someone would allow her to fix her hair in this prison.

"You didn't realize that part of your hair was chopped off, did you," he mused aloud; his visible coal eye sparkled with almost perfectly hidden amusement.

Her heart nearly stopped at the realization that he had noticed before she did. Was he somehow watching her as she pulled her hair down? She had been captured, was now a prisoner of war, and was to be used to destroy the world; it was so petty to be caught up on what her hair looked like but it was the most normal thing she could get upset about. "No," she whispered as tears formed in her eyes. It wasn't the hair that had caused the waterworks but it was the straw that broke the camel's back.

"Get some rest. We'll figure everything out later," Sasuke grunted out to her, turning to face the door.

She considered arguing again, telling him that they needed to figure something out right then and there, but she accepted her fate; exhaustion was taking over and sleep was necessary. As she lay on the futon she wondered what it was they had used to drug her -how she was going to get out of there and return home to Gaara and Kenta. That lead her to wonder how many new things Kenta had learned to do since she left. The image of him smiling up at her from his bed was the one that stuck in her mind's eyes as she drifted off to sleep… the silent Uchiha was standing as far from her as possible like a snake waiting for the perfect moment to strike its prey; thankfully she knew she wasn't who he wanted to harm.

XXXXXXXX

"We arrived as soon as we could, Kazekage-sama," Captain Yamato stated as he, along with his team, bowed to Gaara.

The group stood in the Kazekage's private quarters late into the night. Gaara had called for Team Ookami secretly and ordered them to report directly to his room upon their arrival. The trio had arrived long before Gaara was able to break away from the communications center and -Gaara assumed because had heard nothing about guests from his housekeepers- the group had hidden well from everyone.

"This meeting is off the record, a personal request," he began as he motioned to the small sitting area next to his bathroom door.

"Of course," Yamato stated with a nod.

"I don't know about this," Kiba grumbled from his position between his teammates. Akamaru whined lowly from his position in front of the Inuzuka; his owner's uneasiness left him restless. The ninkin shifted from one paw to the next.

"Quiet down and show respect for the kage," a woman with long, shiny silver hair braided down her back and golden eyes hissed under her breath. The white wolf at her feet bared its teeth to both Akamaru and Kiba, neither flinched.

"Takara, Kiba," Yamato turned his attention to his two subordinates, "Please refrain from interrupting Kazekage-sama. He would not have called us here under these conditions without a good reason."

Gaara stared at the five of them. Yamato, Kiba, and Akamaru looked the same as ever but it was bizarre to see a different female standing next to them than Haruno Sakura; to the Kazekage's knowledge Haruno was doing well back in the leaf and her pregnancy was progressing as smoothly as could be expected. It was already decided on the Kazekage's part that closer to time for Kiba's son or daughter to be born, he would send the male home to be supportive to Sakura… whether their objectives were completed or not.

The woman that stood with them now was one Gaara had never known before outside of the reports in her file. Her appearance reminded him of a cross between Kakashi, because of her silver hair, and Orochimaru, because of her golden eyes with slit pupils; of course, she was related to neither. She had lightly tanned skin, about as dark as TenTen's, and her facial features reminded him of the prim-and-proper daimyos'. Her forehead, seen only between her parted bangs, housed a purple crescent moon in the center. Round cheeks displayed two magenta horizontal stripes and her eyelids displayed the same pattern in reverse; the points of the stripes on her cheeks pointed towards her nose but the ones on her eyes were towards her pointed ears.

Hijikata Takara, Yamato's first pick from the list of recruits they had looked at over three months ago, was a member of the Hijikata clan from Kirigakure. The clan was, in a way, like the Inuzuka clan but instead of ninkin they used wolves as their companions. The beasts, while the size of an average German Shepherd, were practically demons on the battlefield; Gaara assumed that was why she named her male companion Yokai. Like every clan in the world, the Hijikata had traits unique to them. Inside they were as wild as their wolves and, if rumors could be believed, their ears were elf-like because they were descendants from demons their lore claimed resided where the Hidden Mist now stood.

The wolf at Takara's feet looked like any ordinary wolf but, when standing in front of his master, the resemblances were striking. Both master and wolf had the same silver locks, both piercing gold eyes and when Takara snarled… her teeth were as sharp as her companion's. If rumors could be believed, the Hijikata woman and her companion could rip a man apart without the use of the katana she had learned to wield expertly as a young child.

With Yamato's unique skills for infiltration, Kiba's unparalleled tracking skills, and Takara's brute strength the trio was nearly perfect for the task Gaara was about to give them. Two trackers, three incredible fighters, and one unique and clever captain would make them unstoppable. "I want you to head to this base after meeting up with Team Nezumi," Gaara began as he pulled a map of Yamagakure, the Village Hidden in the Mountains, where Madara and Obito were said to have had a hideout, Mountains' Graveyard. "Team Nezumi and Saru were here," he tapped the map, "when things turned south. The information I am about to give you is classified." Gaara didn't miss the way Kiba shifted his eyes away when he mentioned team Saru.

"We understand," Yamato and Takara stated at the same time; Kiba merely nodded.

"Good. My wife was captured within this base and the alliance believes it would be a futile effort to track her. It has been about a week since she was captured but I know how well you two are with tracking," he glanced at Kiba and Takara, "I wish to keep this quiet. The other kage do not agree with my decision but have agreed to allow me to send one team; it is not just my wife's life on the line. We have reason to believe that Uchiha Sasuke has also been taken as a hostage," Gaara paused to let the information sink in. It had taken him three days to convince the other kage to allow him to send _one_ team after Ren; the wait for them had been five days. It was not something that he could rush but Gaara had been growing impatient waiting on them. Everything about the situation left him on edge; the ninja in the communications headquarters even seemed to be treading more carefully around him.

"That can't be," Takara growled as her silver brows furrowed, shifting the crescent moon on her forehead downward slightly.

"How could they possibly capture that bastard? Your wife, I can kind of understand," Kiba began and Gaara's temper began to flare, "She did get kidnapped bef-"

Yamato hit him over the head to shut him up; it eased Gaara's irritation with the Inuzuka mildly. He would have to bite back any retort if he wanted their help "I do not understand how two shinobi were captured," the older man stated.

"Sasuke's capture leaves us puzzled but there were witnesses to Ren's. While infiltrating this particular base Nara Shikamaru and my wife were separated from Yakushi Kabuto. Nara walked into a trap of thin chakra strands and then a short time later lost control of his body. Our enemy forced Shikamaru to attack Ren; it was a three on one fight where she was afraid to hurt her comrade. During the battle, Ren was drugged and carried off while Shikamaru turned his attention to Rock Lee. Lee was injured very seriously and if Shikamaru hadn't gained just enough control to change where his hand was aimed, Lee would be dead," the Kazekage explained; his voice was indifferent but on the inside, his heart was severely broken.

"With all due respect, Kazekage-sama," Takara stated with half-lidded eyes and passiveness in her voice, "what makes you think we could capture this base when two squads couldn't? There's no way to pick up a trail without going in there."

"The base has already been dealt with. Team Nezumi will answer any questions you have regarding it; they will be at the communications base located in Yamagakure," Gaara responded lowly. He would leave out the fact that he had sent Naruto to take care of it personally; the jinchuriki didn't know all the details other than his comrades were unable to take it down, and it left a heavy weight on Gaara's heart. He did not like lying to his first friend or hiding away the truth but he had no choice; Gaara had sworn to keep Ren and the Uchiha's disappearances a secret from Naruto for as long as possible.

"So we're just going there to poke around then," Kiba asked skeptically. In his experience, he knew that there was usually more to a mission than the kages told their subordinates.

"Yes," Gaara responded without a hint of emotion in his voice, "You will go to this base, attempt to find a trail, and follow it. I wish for you to report to me via messenger hawk the moment _any_," he stressed the word, "new information comes to light. We need to learn where they have taken the Uchiha and my wife; I suspect it will be their main base. Once you have that information we can launch a full blown attack. We can rescue our comrades and put an end to this threat all in one go. The other four kage doubt my strategy so I do hope you will prove them wrong."

"We will do our best," Yamato vowed.

"Get some rest but make sure you are out of here before dawn. This meeting is to be hidden from everyone," Gaara stated as he stepped towards the door. He was exhausted but did not wish to be in his bedroom any longer; it made him miss his wife too much.

"We will, Kazekage-sama," Yamato agreed with a nod. It wasn't their place to question the Kazekage and the rest would be welcomed; the five of them had traveled nearly non-stop once they received the order.

XXXXXXXX

The window to Ren and Sasuke's cell slid open like it did every day three times a day to deliver food they were wary about eating, but this time, a man spoke to them. "Sabaku Ren," he said, "It's time to for more testing. Try to behave today; the boss is going to be observing."

With a deep breath, Ren stared at Sasuke; he had been giving her orders each time this situation occurred. This would be the third time since she arrived. "Just do what he tells you to," the Uchiha muttered, "try to get as much information as you can."

"Right," she whispered her response as she stood from the futon they had both been sitting on. The idea that they could sleep in shifts was foolish; both had been so exhausted –they still were—and so they spent most of their time sleeping. The shackles on their wrists made it difficult for either of them to stay awake for more than a few hours at a time.

The door swung open and she was yanked out into the hallway, pinned against the wall with her arms behind her back. They felt the need to restrain her like this; the movement was always swift so that she couldn't dig her fingernail into their flesh like she had the first of her "guards". She bit her lip hard to keep from groaning as two men grabbed her by her arms and practically dragged her down the hallway; they were in no way gentle with her and she seriously doubted anything would change that.

As inconspicuously as she could the Hyuga tried to burn the details of the hallway into her memory. The urge was there to use her byakugan to see everything she possibly could; when had she become so reliant on it? The walls were the same smooth stone as her shared cell, the floor uneven as if an earthquake had dislodged many of the stones, and it was dimly lit with lanterns that were spaced thirty paces apart.

This was the third time in a week that she surveyed the area. Iron bars creating more cells ten paces from each lantern was the only time there were seams in the walls. Inside the cells that she dared to look in were people that didn't even resemble people anymore. Their ears were that of various animals, their skin taking on the same traits as their ears, and their faces were morphing into things she couldn't call human at all. She couldn't bear to look into more than three of them; the experiments done on these poor people were sickening.

The lump in her throat and stomach grew as she saw the familiar door just up ahead; it would lead her through a laboratory with large holding tubes, heavily barred cells, and countless instruments of torture. So far the laboratory had seemed empty but today that wasn't the case; inside one of the holding tubes was a man with blue tinted white hair. His eyes were closed and his body was only half there, it was like he had mostly dissipated into the water around him.

The screams of another man echoed through the room from one of the cells, debating about who he would kill first if he would kill at all. Bile rose into the Kazekage's wife's throat and she was forced to clamp her mouth and eyes shut tightly, relying on the two men beside her to get her to the destination of her own torment.

Ren stumbled as she was shoved into the sterile room she had been brought to twice previously; the men had called it an exam room and it was where she had had her nose and hand healed. With all the strength she could muster she walked up to the exam table and hoisted herself up to sit on it; this seemed to satisfy the men because they left the room without a word to allow her to wait for the "doctor" in silence. There was nothing in the room except the exam table, a stainless steel table for medical tools to be placed on, and a row of cabinets she couldn't break into due to their complex seals. These people were cunning and left nothing in the room she could use.

With a loud creaking the second door in the room opened and three people stepped in. The first she had learned was the leading medical professional of the place, a man in his forties with a balding head, graying brown hair, and nearly lifeless black eyes.

The second was dressed as a nurse but Ren had not seen her before. The woman had the same chakra-sucking shackles Ren and Sasuke now wore. Her red hair was unevenly cut, her red eyes remained on the floor, and she wore narrow brown glasses. Ren was uncertain how fair-skinned the woman, who looked to be around her own age, was normally but she looked pale and almost sickly in Ren's opinion.

The third person was a man she did not recognize and just the sight of him made her stomach turn. A short sleeved brown tee shirt, dark green shorts, and standard issue open toe sandals were the first details Ren allowed herself to focus on. His eyes were lifeless ebony as they scrutinized her, his skin had barely any color to it at all in the harsh lighting, his hair was the color of ink and his body… every piece of flesh she could see on the lanky man was scarred. It seemed like the man had been caught in a fire, sliced with knives, impaled with Kami knows what… the only part of his body, from what she could see, that remained unscathed was his face.

"So you are Sabaku Ren," the scarred man told her with a deep voice that seemed calm, too calm. "Wife of the Kazekage, illegitimate daughter of Hyuga Hiashi, and a possession of the late Orochimaru. It certainly is a pleasure to finally meet you."

His voice sickened her as much as his appearance. The woman between the doctor and him was looking at him with the same expression Ren wished she could give him. Her nose was scrunched up, her lips pulled up into a sneer, and her red eyes were burning with hatred. That was the very same way Ren wished to look at him at that moment but she knew it would ruin her chances of getting information if she showed any emotion at all. "That's who I am," she told him emotionlessly despite knowing the truth about her father and rejecting the idea of being Orochimaru's property, "and who might you be."

A light hum escaped his pale lips as he stepped closer to the sand kunoichi. "I am Tsukuda Michio. You are in my laboratory and cared for by my shinobi." He had said it like he was doing her a favor; it was taking everything she had to keep her face blank. "I see that they have not been following my orders, however," he grunted out as he grabbed Ren's chin more gently than she expected and forced her head to move from side to side. "Doctor Fujimoto," he called back to the older man who was standing with his hands stuffed into the pockets of his lab coat, "I need to have a word with those who have been in charge of her; please make a note of that."

"Y-Yes, Tsukuda-sama," the doctor squeaked out as he grabbed the clipboard out of the nurse's hands and began writing.

"Good," Tsukuda stated. "I need you in better shape than this. I understand you will be ovulating in about a week. That is good news for me; I'll be able to keep track of you easily."

Ren was ready to bite the man's face if she had to. His hand remained upon her chin so even if she did succumb to her desire, he would halt her easily. "Why do you want a Hyuga-Uchiha child so badly," she asked as if she didn't really care.

"The way we live must change. Shinobi are worthless dogs that do not care about who they hurt as long as they get paid. Who better to take out shinobi than the perfect shinobi? With a combination of the byakugan and sharingan, the child would be unstoppable. I will raise it as my own, shaping it into the perfect tool so that you shinobi never hurt another innocent person again." His eyes were locked on hers and she couldn't breathe.

"I feel like you've met the wrong shinobi if you believe that," Ren stated flatly. She couldn't look away from his piercing gaze.

"No. I believe I have met the right ones. If I didn't my body wouldn't look like this and I wouldn't have met Orochimaru-sama."

Ren swallowed hard despite her best efforts not to; perspiration was beginning to form on her unbranded forehead. "Why are you continuing Orochimaru's research after he's dead?"

"The man was a genius," he stated as if it should be obvious, "he was trying to collect every jutsu known to shinobi while making his own. I am working to do the same; I believe you've experienced Blood-Water Manipulation… well… not you personally," the man chuckled and rage boiled inside Ren, "but you've seen what it can do. It wasn't easy to find the scroll or to find shinobi capable of even mastering it… but it is quite a game changer. With it, I was able to capture you so easily."

Ren bit the inside of her lip and he paused as if waiting for some retort. "It didn't matter if you were an easy catch or not," he continued when he decided she would stay silent, "I knew where you were this whole time. The blockage behind your byakugan may be gone but the serum Orochimaru used on you when you were fourteen was meant to last, my dear. It's in your DNA. I know your whereabouts no matter how far from me you go."

Saliva began to pool in her mouth and she had to swallow again. Her lips parted as she took shallow breaths, trying to keep from throwing up. The man was spilling information to her and she couldn't ruin it by vomiting all over the revolting man. "How," she asked; it was the only word she could get out and her uneasiness was beginning to seep its way into her voice.

"You are a beacon that I can track from anywhere with a simple jutsu; I just have to weave a few hand signs and I can find your chakra anywhere. Now then, be a good girl and let the doctor perform his procedure. You have to be cleansed in order to give me what I want." Tsukuda released her chin and walked to the stand near the door.

The doctor wasted no time in bringing in a machine unlike any other that Ren had seen. "Karin," the doctor called to his nurse, "tie her down."

The two women's eyes locked… both filled with regret as the nurse, Karin, tightly placed straps around Ren's body; her arms were the last thing restrained because they had to be unbound. In what felt like an instant the semi-circle arm of the machine was over Ren's body. A scream emanated from her lips before she could control anything; she felt like her blood was on fire and no matter how much she thrashed she couldn't get away.

XXXXXXXX

"This is your fault as much as it is mine," Kabuto hissed as he poked Shikamaru's chest. The two had been tense around each other since the start of their team but after Ren was kidnapped the hostility only grew. "You were actually there with her and you couldn't do anything!"

"You should have followed protocol. We clear the base then we go through the files and destroy everything. That is how this works but you just had to read right then and there," Shikamaru bit back.

"I was trying to figure out the experiments going on in the base! It was completely different from the others and I wanted to make sure we knew what we could be up against! No matter what there is no way we could take that base down with our skill set! It was inevitable and I will not let you continue to blame me when we are both at fault," Kabuto was yelling by this point.

"Enough," TenTen shouted as she and Sai entered the tent the two of them were currently standing in. "She's gone. We all are responsible, even Ren." It pained the weapons mistress to say it but the two of them had been at each other's throats constantly.

"Things could have ended up far worse and were it not for Kabuto's quick medical care we would have lost two comrades," Sai stated from his position to TenTen's right. "Team Ookami is here waiting for our reports to take directly back to the Kazekage; we should not keep them waiting."

Kabuto and Shikamaru glared at each other for another thirty seconds before the med-nin sighed and pushed up his glasses. Fighting with Shikamaru was useless; they needed Ookami to take their reports so that Gaara could actually do something about it. "Very well," Kabuto grunted out as he slipped between TenTen and Sai to leave the tent.

"How are you holding up," Shikamaru asked TenTen as soon as Sai followed behind Kabuto.

"I don't know," she responded quietly, "I was finally coming to terms with everything regarding Kiba, but my anger is back in full force now that we came so close to losing Lee. I froze up, kept replaying Neji's death in my mind but this time it was Lee. Back then I felt like Neji was too strong to die and going into this mess I felt that way about Lee too; I was almost wrong twice." Tears flooded her chocolate eyes that she quickly wiped away. "I don't want Lee to die; especially not with his heart so broken. It's Sakura and Kiba's fault that it is."

Shikamaru placed his hand on her shoulder and gave it a reassuring squeeze. "I did my best to miss his heart and I guess what little bit of control I managed worked. I've been having nightmares… Ones where I don't have enough control to miss his heart… ones where Ren's in Lee's place… I even dream about the sick and twisted crap they're probably doing to her."

"I think we both need to talk to someone," she told him with a sniffle, "We have a lot of feelings to work through and we're stationary right now anyway. Have you thought about talking to Shizune? She's here right now. We both know her. Who knows what doctors there will be at other base camps?"

"I think you should do it; she could help you a lot," He stated as he removed his hand from her shoulder and stepped towards the tent exit.

"You should do it too," she told him but he didn't falter as he made his retreat; TenTen knew he wouldn't go looking for help even though they all desperately needed it.

XXXXXXXX

**DRIP~ DROP~** **DRIP~ **were the only sounds the illegitimate Hyuga heard as she fought to regain consciousness. No matter how many times they hooked her up to that awful machine she never got used to it; after only a few minutes –it felt like hours to her—she would pass out only to wake up on the table again to experience more pain. The process had lasted five days and in that time she had gathered no new information from Tsukuda Michio; the only reason she knew how much time had passed was because the nurse, Karin, had complained about how long they were taking. She could be wrong about how many days it had been now; that thought made her stomach knot.

"I know you're awake," a muffled male voice stated from somewhere nearby, "Let's talk."

A low groan escaped her parted lips and echoed all around her causing her white eyes to flutter open; how long had she slept this time? The voice was one she had not heard before, or at least she couldn't remember having heard it. With everything that had happened, she couldn't remember much of anything; the past week had become a blur as if it were wiped completely from her memory.

"There are your eyes, now how about you look over here," the man requested.

As everything came into focus Ren's breath caught in her throat. She was locked inside one of the containment tubes curled up in a ball on the floor; a vent overhead supplied oxygen but everything within the tube was still. Slowly, painfully, she pushed herself up and leaned against the glass tube with her eyes half-lidded. Directly in front of her was the man with blue-tinted white hair; his body was now mostly formed to just below his navel. "Who are you," she asked hoarsely; her throat was drier than Sunagakure during the summer.

"Hozuki Suigetsu. Are you Hyuga Hinata," he asked as he moved closer to the wall of his own prison.

A bitter laugh shook Ren's whole body and she had to double over coughing. "If I were," she responded in a shaky tone, "they wouldn't be trying to rewrite my DNA." All of the torture –all of the pain—was so that they could have the purest specimen to mother the child Tsukuda desperately wanted her and Sasuke to produce. She suspected capturing her instead of Hinata was decided for more than just their ability to track her; they had mentioned the machine needing to be altered several times and testing it on her was helpful to their own studies regarding it.

"Right," Suigetsu drawled out, "And I'm pretty sure since you're in here that means they've done it. Your screaming lasted for days. If you aren't Hyuga Hinata then who are you and what are you doing here?"

His words sunk in slowly and Ren absently rubbed her right arm; there had been an I.V. in it after the first "treatment" so that they could take blood as well as keep her hydrated. Was she a full-blown Hyuga now? Was that even possible? Tears tried to form in her eyes so she shook her head to shake them away; everything she had ever been was her mother's daughter. The Hyuga name was something she had never taken. "Sabaku Ren," she muttered as she tried to breathe.

"Weird, you look like a Hyuga. The only one I've heard talked about was Hinata, so I assumed you were her," the man stated his observation.

"My father… He was a Hyuga," she responded, "I'm here to give Tsukuda the child he's been planning for Kami knows how long." The words were bitter as they left her tongue and she couldn't keep her eyes on Suigetsu a moment longer; her gaze fell to the white surface below her.

"What's he need you for? He's got a wife running around here somewhere and I'm pretty sure she could carry his kid," he informed her.

Another mirthless laugh escaped her lips and she gripped her hair between her fingers as if it were the only thing she could grip onto. Shockingly she found it to all be the same length; it reached midway between her shoulders and her chin. "He wants a child with the sharingan and the byakugan. I'm here to provide that," she murmured; her mind was filling with so many dark thoughts about the whole situation that she had no reaction to her hair discovery. Where was Gaara? Where was Naruto? Shikamaru? Kabuto… He was her angel; where was _he_? Had they truly left Sasuke and herself to their fate?

"Sharingan," Suigetsu repeated with a look of utter confusion on his face.

"Yes," she told him, finally looking up into his almond-shaped purple eyes.

His brows remained furrowed and his sharp teeth were visible as he tried to wrap his mind around that piece of information. "Did they manage to catch Sasuke or are they going to use someone else's sperm?"

The question was blunt and caused Ren's own eyebrows to furrow; would anyone really stoop that low? Sasuke was the only living Uchiha. Would they use the sperm of a dead man -or worse: men- just to achieve this ridiculous goal? Nausea overwhelmed Ren and she dry heaved from her place, falling forward onto her hands and knees. Was that even medically possible?! "Th-they caught Uchiha Sasuke," she told him honestly between gags; her body had nothing to expel.

"Ew. Listen, Sabaku-San," Suigetsu called to her to get her attention. She lifted her tear stained face to stare at him and he continued, "Tell Sasuke that Karin, Jugo, and I are here. It's Hozuki Suigetsu. Don't forget my name. We used to be members of team Hebi and Taka. Let him know that if he can figure out a way to free us, we'll help him destroy these bastards."

Ren opened her mouth to respond but instead the door to the laboratory opened; horror filled Ren's mind as two men entered and headed straight towards her. "Time to go back to your mate, bitch," one man hissed as the other began unsealing the tube.

She glanced at Suigetsu and nodded her head so that he knew she had been listening. Every ounce of her being wanted to attack both these men so that she could make a run for it; the shackles on her wrists, ankles, and neck reminded her that she would be accomplish nothing. With her teeth gritted she allowed the two of them to pull her body from the tube. When her bare feet touched the ground her knees buckled beneath her; every muscle in her body was aching so badly.

"What's the matter," man two grunted out as he pulled her back upright.

"They did a lot of crap to her," Suigetsu shouted, "give her a break! Do you know how hard it is to stand after you've been in one of these things for a long time?!"

"Shut up," man one yelled back at the white-haired male. "Just fucking carry her; let's go. This place gives me the creeps."

The second man hoisted her up like a sack of potatoes leaving her dangling there weakly while the first man headed towards the door. Ren made eye contact with Suigetsu one last time, offering him a small, forced smile and she discreetly pulled a kunai from the guard's weapon's pouch. She would disguise the movement by brushing her arms against his back with every other step he took… then she slipped the kunai into her bra.

The sharp metal cut into her breast slightly but it was pain that would be worth it. It was just one kunai –barely worth getting excited about especially for the pain and effort it took—but it was one step closer to freedom; she couldn't wait to see the look on Sasuke's face when she showed him her prize. Her next objective, given to herself by herself, was to find the scroll that TenTen had given her; the weapon she looted off her last successful base was sealed away in it. If she could somehow get the chakra absorbing links off her wrists and that scroll she was certain she could get out of this prison; the guards here seemed like weaklings -even if they weren't she'd still give it a shot- so she just needed to soak in as much information as possible to form a sound strategy.

XXXXXXXX

Sasuke had watched the guards drag Ren from their shared cell seven days ago and the silence had become overwhelming since. He wondered if she realized how long she was gone; if she knew how much her absence left him restless. The only noise to fill the room was the ones he made; his only break from it was when a guard brought food three times a day.

"Why haven't they brought her back yet," he murmured aloud for the hundredth time that hour. Ren was annoyingly silent when she was around but it was still better than this; now he was wrapped up in his thoughts. "Does Hinata know I'm missing? Surely she does; she knows I wouldn't just abandon the village after all the effort I've put into staying." He covered his eyes with his forearm and sighed.

_Hinata_…

Her soft smiles, the way her hair would flow in front of her face when the wind blew just right… her soft kisses and warm embraces… he missed her desperately.

At one point he had thought of her as a weakling -a waste of a good forehead protector—but now he knew better. When they first spoke, after seventeen years of being from the same village, he was rude to her; now he wished he would've been kinder so that he would have had more time with her. He wished he had been more willing to express what he was feeling because if he did maybe doubt wouldn't be ebbing its way into his conscious. There were many things that Uchiha Sasuke was; expressive, in any way except anger, was not one of them.

The locks on the door to his cell began to slide open one by one causing the Uchiha to sit up and snap out of his silent brooding. Instantly, the moment the door swung open, a warm body was tossed into his arms and onto the futon. He peered down at her and instantly noticed how pale she was; her skin felt hot to his touch. "What did you do to her," he shouted out as the door slammed closed. "Damn it!" There was no response to his question from the man on the other side of the door as the locks slipped back into place.

"I'll live," Ren whispered weakly as she pushed herself out of the Uchiha's arms and onto her bottom. The 'cleansing' they had done left her with a fever but it was getting better with each passing moment; apparently, her body had accepted the changes enough that it wasn't necessary to keep an eye on her any longer.

"What did they do," he asked her sternly; everything about this place and their situation had him on edge. It was like he was looking for any reason to be angry besides the ones that mattered.

"A lot," she muttered, "It doesn't matter." Ren just couldn't figure out a reason for Sasuke to even care; they had barely spoken during their entire stay in this godforsaken place.

Her eyes would not meet his so he reached out and tugged her head up by her chin. Her white eyes were so much like Hinata's that a wave of sorrow nearly consumed his entire being. "It does matter," he responded flatly, doing his best to control his tone.

Ren sighed and closed her eyes; looking at Sasuke was just a reminder of everything that had happened and would happen. "They removed every trace of my mother that they could without damaging me and made me a _pure Hyuga_," came her solemn answer. Had he been Gaara, touching her like that, she would've felt happy but right now she just felt numb.

"Is that even possible?" Sasuke's brows crinkled as he tried to understand what that meant.

"Yes, apparently it is," she told him weakly, "and it is a very painful process. I wouldn't recommend it." A faint smile ghosted across her lips; she was trying to make a joke to make it seem like it wasn't a big deal. The truth was that she had very little of her mother left in her and that was eating away at her, leaving a hollow feeling within her chest; something in her had broken. "Good came out of it, though," she told him as soon as she saw Sasuke's sneer; he hadn't found the humor.

"What did you find out," he questioned the second his features returned to their resting impassiveness.

"A lot, yet nothing we didn't really know," she admitted, "that's not what I meant. Here," she said as she reached her hand down the neckline of her medical gown and pulled the kunai out of her bra. It sliced against her skin with every step the guard had taken but the pain from it was nothing compared to the fire she felt was flowing through her veins, purging her mother from her body. "I snagged it off one of the guards," she whispered as she held the now slightly bloodied kunai up to him.

"How did you manage that?" There was something in his voice that Ren couldn't place but his eyes were wider than normal so she assumed it was surprising.

"It wasn't hard; I was too weak to walk so the guy carried me. I just had to move at the right moments for every step he took and pretend I had to adjust my boobs off his shoulder. No big deal. It's just one kunai but it's a start, right," she asked quietly, unsure of why she even cared for his approval.

"Yes, it is a start. You did well," he commented as he took the kunai from her and stuffed it under their shared futon so that it would be out of sight; a better hiding place would have to be made but for now this had to do.

"Thanks. I also ran into a guy," Ren said as she bit her bottom lip. He had told her his name twice; surely she should've remembered it. "Ano," she murmured, "his name was… Hoshigi? Hozugi? Hozuki! That's it. Hozuki Suigetsu," she stated with a nod of her head. It shouldn't have been that difficult but her memories –because of the pain she had experienced- were still foggy. "He said to tell you that if you bust him, Karin, and… Jugo out of here they'll help you take down these bastards."

"They got Team Taka," Sasuke reiterated her words.

"Y-yes," she sighed, "Karin was actually the nurse being forced to assist in the procedure and tests they did to me. Oh and just a heads up, you have three days until I ovulate, since I was gone five days, but I'm not sure if they're planning on actually trying anything now or later… I think they were just trying to establish a schedule… I hope."

"You were gone seven days," he muttered with a low growl. "I hope you're right about them trying to establish your schedule. What did they tell you? Even if we already know it, I want to know."

"His name is Tsukuda Michio, but you already knew that," Ren stated with a sigh. Slowly she raked her fingers through her hair; it was so much shorter than she was used to. "According to him I was a possession of Orochimaru's and I wasn't going to argue; in a way I was and didn't even know it. Even though Hinata unblocked the chakra network behind my eyes they still knew exactly where I was at any given moment they chose. I lead them to that base and it's my fault Lee-sensei is dead." She dropped her head into her hands and fought not to feel anything at all.

"You don't know that he's dead and even if he is there's nothing you can do about it. You can mourn when we get out of here; I've let you cry and think silently to yourself this whole time. Right now we need to focus on what we need to do for ourselves," Sasuke replied coldly. He understood her feelings but they had more pressing concerns.

"He doesn't like the way the guards here handle me; apparently, he's having that taken care of but I don't know what that means. He feels like our way is wrong; that we worry about mission completion and not innocent bystanders. He's got history with Orochimaru but I don't know what that history is; I think it has something to do with the scars all over his body, though. His association with Orochimaru led him to the idea that the sharingan and byakugan could make the strongest shinobi the world has seen, I think; I can't be sure because he wasn't very forthcoming with information. He plans to use our child to destroy everything we stand for… and to raise the child to become the perfect tool of shinobi destruction.

"He really admired Orochimaru and won't give up on his goals. He seems to disregard the life of his subordinates, at least when it comes to a technique he calls Blood-Water-Manipulation because I guess it's hard to master; he feels it's worth pursuing because it's so powerful. It feels pretty hopeless, but it's a forbidden jutsu so there has to be a flaw to it. I noticed when Shikamaru-san was under it that a foreign chakra invaded his bloodstream then dispersed into his chakra network too. I wish I would've watched what happened after the jutsu stopped, though; that might be the key." Ren spoke quickly and hoped that Sasuke could understand everything that she was saying.

"It seems like he's another Madara," Sasuke murmured.

"What," Ren asked as she finally looked up into his visible coal eye.

"Madara wanted to do similar; the details don't matter at this point," Sasuke was more than aware that Ren had been in the dark during the whole war. He had enough of a heart not to add to her distress; she had been through too much to worry about what happened in the war she was kept out of.

"I see," she sighed, "I don't need to know the details, I guess. We really need to figure out a plan, though."

"For now, we sit tight and refuse to give him a baby," Sasuke stated as if it were so simple.

"And if he forces us," Ren quickly covered her mouth and clamped her eyes shut tightly. There were so many thoughts swirling around her mind. There were so many things that could be done to them and none of them were pleasant.

"There is only one Uchiha alive and I have no plans to give him what he wants," Sasuke responded flatly.

"Right," she sighed out and moved to lay down on the futon, "I'm sorry, I'm dizzy. P-please, forgive me for invading your space." She was laying up against the wall but her back was still against his hip; the futon was really too small.

"It's fine," he muttered as he scooted over as far as he could; they were still touching no matter where he moved to. "Rest up. You've been through a lot."

* * *

**Ren Note #2:** Please R&amp;R. I'm dying to know what you guys think about everything that's happening to our little Ren-Ren! Chapter 18 is in the works (not finished like I'd originally planned) so I can make no promises when it will arrive... but I will say this... my mojo is coming back! Thank you for your time and patience!


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